Instead of the usual gridlock on South Florida roads, more tourists and locals are ditching their cars and hopping on the Water Taxi in Fort Lauderdale.
“Boats are always more fun than cars,” said Lulu Tirado, a tourist who was visiting from DC and riding the Water Taxi.
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”I love it. It’s so cool. It gives you another perspective of Fort Lauderdale,” said Isabelle Calvanese, a tourist visiting from Philadelphia and riding the Water Taxi.
According to Water Taxi leadership, the service in Fort Lauderdale has seen a record increase in ridership, with double-digit percentage numbers growing since September.
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“This month of March is going to be the highest month we’ve ever had at roughly 80,000 riders,” said Bill Walker the CEO and president of Water Taxi Fort Lauderdale.
Walker said a boost in local tourism and hospitality has played a major role in those numbers.
“Ridership has been outstanding. The whole hospitality industry in Fort Lauderdale has seen a significant growth,” he said.
Local
While tourists are a driving force behind the increase in ridership, locals have played a part as well.
“We get a lot of business from families and people who live here who have relatives visiting the area. Word of mouth is a big driver of why people ride the water taxi,” Walker said.
Whether it’s a trip to the beach or out for dinner, patrons can commute with a view of taking a trip down the New River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Riders also get a local history lesson as crews give out tidbits of information about homes and yachts along the water.
“Always and forever whenever we have family visit, this is one of our favorite things to do. It’s unique, because you get to see so many facets of Fort Lauderdale. What was and what is,” said Rosa Calvet, a local from Pembroke Pines riding the Water Taxi.
“We try to make it more than a boat ride and so that’s why I love my job because we get to meet all kinds of walks of life,” said Charley Hill, a captain with Water Taxi Fort Lauderdale.
There are 13 vessels in the fleet that run about every 30 minutes, seven days a week. The Water Taxi has 10 stops throughout Fort Lauderdale and connections to one stop on Hollywood Beach. There is also service to special events like the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show and the Tortuga Music Festival coming up in April.
“This city has 165 miles of waterways and to really see the housing, the yacht market and the Fort Lauderdale lifestyle, you really need to go out on the water,” Walker said.
More information on the Water Taxi schedule and fares can be found here.
