Residents of Newburgh, Beacon and the surrounding Hudson Valley communities spoke out Wednesday, July 30, at a Metropolitan Transportation Authority board meeting, urging officials to reverse their decision to discontinue the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry.

The MTA’s move to end the service has drawn sharp criticism from local residents, many of whom rely on the ferry to connect with the Metro-North Railroad. Without it, commuters must now use buses or drive to reach the Beacon train station — options that many argue are less accessible and more burdensome.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, ferry supporters wore shirts bearing the slogan “Save The Ferry” alongside an image of the vessel. Among them was Oliver Meyer, a 15-year-old Beacon resident who uses the ferry daily to commute to his job at an ice cream shop in Newburgh.

“I’m sad to see that it’s being let go, but I’m here to fight for it,” Meyer said. “As someone under 18 with a job and no license, the ferry is hugely important to me. It helped make my first job possible.”

Meyer added that the ferry’s hours largely align with his work schedule but could be improved. He suggested that expanding service could help increase ridership and revenue, rather than eliminating the route entirely.

Philippe Pierre, a Newburgh resident and organizer with the Save The Ferry group, noted that two recent rallies were held at the Newburgh and Beacon docks in opposition to the cancellation. He criticized the MTA’s justification of low ridership and blamed outdated scheduling for the decline.
“The schedule hasn’t changed since 2005,” Pierre said. “It predates the financial crisis, the pandemic — even the iPhone. It needs to reflect how people commute in 2025.”
After the initial public comment period ended, additional speakers were invited to continue speaking on a separate livestream. Among them was Naomi Hersson-Ringskog, who condemned the MTA’s decision and its lack of public engagement.

“The abrupt termination of the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry without public notice, warning or input cuts off a critical connection — not just for commuters but also for our economy,” she said. “Riders didn’t fail the ferry. The ferry system failed the riders.”

Mark Sanchez-Potter, a Newburgh resident and Bronx teacher who relies on Metro-North, also voiced his opposition.

“This is a real travesty, and it needs to be corrected,” Sanchez-Potter said. “I ask this board to do the right thing — save the ferry and ensure equity for the residents of Beacon and Newburgh.”