For 40 years, Islander Hugh Taylor has had the idea for a water taxi from Menemsha to New Bedford. This year, he is working to make the plan a reality.
Mr. Taylor brought the proposal to the Chilmark select board on Tuesday. He said the proposed route would be open in the summer from June to September, with two boats running in the morning and two more in the afternoon, depending on demand. The trip would take 45 minutes with a boat running at 25 knots.
He believed the water taxi could serve early commuters as well as Vineyard residents heading to New Bedford for shopping or travel. He also said the route could potentially accommodate a stop on Cuttyhunk, if demand for that should arise.
Mr. Taylor framed the service as an alternative to the parking scarcity and traffic currently facing Steamship Authority terminals down Island. He hopes it will support up-Island travel while providing residents with an easier and more fuel-efficient way to get off the Island.
Mr. Taylor said he spoke with Vineyard Transit Authority about working together to transport passengers to the potential ferry terminal.
“They’re into moving people and moving them with a lower carbon footprint between the number twelve bus and the number four bus,” he said. “The VTA thinks that they can easily handle the people coming off that boat in the morning, but I haven’t gotten a solid commitment out of them yet.”
The next steps for the project include coordination between the select boards of Chilmark and Aquinnah. The board moved to authorize Chilmark town administrator, Timothy R. Carroll, to work with the town of Aquinnah on a more specifics of the proposal from Mr. Taylor.