More New Yorkers are cruising to work.
New York Waterway, which runs ferries on the East and Hudson rivers, saw a spike of more than 500,000 riders between 2013 and 2014 — a 7 percent jump from about 8 million to 8.53 million.
The city’s Department of Transportation said the Staten Island Ferry saw a jump of more than 1 million passengers, with ridership growing from 20.5 million to 22 million.
SeaStreak, whose boats ply the waters between Wall Street, East Midtown and New Jersey, saw an increase of 7 percent, from about 815,000 to 875,000.
Waterfront development was a major factor in the boost, officials said.
“Ferry service encourages waterfront development, and this development provides the customers who fill the ferries,” said Arthur Imperatore of NY Waterway.
Mayor de Blasio recently floated the idea of adding new ferry lines to neighborhoods like Red Hook and Soundview at MetroCard prices by 2017.
The city is also weighing service to Coney Island and to Stapleton on Staten Island.