Tampa Bay rarely sees smooth regional transit teamwork, and the Cross Bay Ferry saga proves why. Pinellas County has bold ideas to expand the ferry, which since October has run year-round between Tampa Convention Center and St. Petersburg’s port. Operated by a private Boston firm and funded by Tampa, St. Pete, and their counties, the service could soon shift gears.

Pinellas’ transit authority wants to buy its own boat, take over operations, and ramp up hours and trips. The long-term goal? Turn a seasonal perk into a real commuter lifeline. But Hillsborough County looms as a potential roadblock.

Back in 2022, Hillsborough snagged a $5 million federal grant for a new ferry boat—money it doesn’t intend to use. With two years until the grant expires, Pinellas is pushing to snag it instead, a move that costs Hillsborough nothing and keeps cash local. Yet some Hillsborough leaders balk.

At a recent meeting, Republican Commissioner Joshua Wostal stalled a decision, claiming Pinellas’ transit CEO, Brad Miller, is dodging his own board’s input on buying and running a boat. “It’s disrespectful to Pinellas taxpayers—a bureaucrat sneaking in a new financial burden,” Wostal told reporters. John King, a Hillsborough transit board appointee, argued Pinellas is gaming the federal system and should compete for funds like everyone else.

If Hillsborough kills the transfer, it’s another dent in regional unity—and a lost chance to ease Tampa Bay’s traffic woes. “Send this back to D.C., and it’s gone for good,” warned Tampa Council Member Luis Viera, who chairs Hillsborough’s transit board and backs the deal.

Miller says the transfer’s doable: U.S. Department of Transportation staff told him to secure local nods first, then seek federal sign-off. (The DOT didn’t respond to inquiries.)

What’s Next?

Hillsborough officials will revisit the grant on March 5, but it’s unclear when their transit board—mixing county and Tampa reps—will settle the matter. Even if Pinellas gets the funds, expansion isn’t a lock. Commissioner Kathleen Peters, a Pinellas transit board member, texted she’d only back “true transit” use.

Pinellas Commissioner Chris Latvala, a transfer supporter, sighed, “We talk regional unity in meetings, but it rarely happens.”

Tampa Bay’s transit past is rocky. The regional transit authority folded in 2023 after Governor Ron DeSantis nixed state funds and counties pulled support. Now, state lawmakers want Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco to merge transportation planning, but Tampa leaders hesitate to yield control to bigger counties.

Darden Rice, Pinellas’ transit planning chief, called cooperation a “delicate dance”—everyone needs a win. “It’s about relationships and keeping folks aligned,” she said.

Why Resist Ferry Upgrades?

To some Republicans fixated on trimming costs, the ferry’s a indulgence. Wostal pegs $5 million for 72,000 riders last season as inefficient next to buses hauling over a million yearly. He’s also wary of Hornblower Group, the ferry’s bankrupt parent company.

Rice, who manages the ferry project, said Pinellas is already negotiating a leaner contract for later this year. Owning a boat could fix Wostal’s gripes, she argued—it’d spark competition, cutting costs. Local operators would handle labor and upkeep, not the boat itself, with contractors liable for repairs.

A Pinellas-owned boat could slash public subsidies, Rice added. Staff predict $1 million in annual federal funds to boost service—moving St. Pete’s stop downtown, adding trips, and dropping the $24 round-trip fare. Right now, ferries run every three hours on weekends, less often otherwise, and most Mondays and Tuesdays are skipped according to the website schedule.

The ferry’s future hinges on Pinellas persuading Hillsborough it’s a “win-win,” Rice said. Without that, Tampa Bay’s shot at a stronger transit link stays docked.

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(Image credit: Veronica Brezina)

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