Staff Shortages Disrupt South Ferry Service

Drivers hopping the South Ferry between North Haven and Shelter Island should expect delays during rush hour between now and Labor Day.

The South Ferry, Inc. connecting travelers across the Peconic River is reporting schedule disruptions due to being short staffed.

“Due to multiple staffing challenges, South Ferry will have difficulty staffing our fleet at times,” Cliff Clark, the company’s president and CEO, said on its Facebook page.

Twenty to 30-minute delays should be expected during the morning and evening rush hours, “and perhaps more at other times during the day.”

The company is the latest to be impacted by coronavirus-induced staffing shortages hurting an array of industries nationwide for the past year, as many employees retired, changed careers, or were forced to stay home with children.