This browser does not support the Video element.
Hubbard's Marina may soon operate Cross Bay Ferry
FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The Cross Bay Ferry could be sailing back to the area soon. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has its sights set on a new, local vendor: Hubbard’s Marina.
It comes after a contract issue with its last vendor ended the service in April.
"I love the saying, ‘if you're too busy to go fishing, you're just too darn busy,’" Al Burns, Director of Procurement for PSTA, said at a meeting in late September.
The catchphrase, popularized by Hubbard’s Marina, is familiar to lots of people in the Bay Area. Now, Hubbard’s Marina could be known for something else too.
"We've been very interested and excited whether or not we were included or not, because waterborne transportation, I think, for our area is something we need," Captain Dylan Hubbard, VP and Co-Owner of Hubbard’s Marina, said.
The PSTA staff reviewed four proposals from companies interested in operating the Cross Bay Ferry. Their unanimous recommendation was Hubbard’s Marina. Hubbard says they hope to run the ferry between St. Pete and Tampa 365 days a year from six a.m. to 10 p.m.
"Hubbard's Marina, as you may know, has been doing business in the Tampa Bay Area for a very long time. If you look at that picture on this slide, that picture was taken back in 1958," Burns said at a PSTA meeting at the end of September. "They're a generational Floridian company. They also have the infrastructure. They have a fabricating facility right here in Gulfport to support if the vessel needs maintenance or preventive maintenance," he said.
The backstory:
Hubbard’s has been in business for nearly 100 years and four family generations. In addition to fishing charters, sunset and dolphin cruises, it already runs the Egmont Key and Shell Key ferry routes.
The PSTA board will have its final vote at the end of October.
"We've been working on waterborne transportation since the start. My grandfather used to do waterborne transportation with rowboats from Gulfport to St. Pete Beach back in the day. So, it's something that's been a part of our family history, and it's something that we've been continuing to work on, and we're excited to continue to build," Hubbard said.
"I hope my grandfather's looking down on us and is proud of our continual growth and future vision of expanding upon that history of waterborne transportation," Hubbard said.
Hubbard’s will help PSTA pick out the boat that PSTA will buy using a nearly $5 million Federal Transit Administration grant.
READ: Court documents reveal Hulk Hogan's family exploring medical malpractice suit
What they're saying:
"That is what they're looking for as part of this RFP was someone to come in who has experience building, procuring vessels. We build our own boats. We've been buying boats for many, many, generations, and we're excited to work closely with PSTA on that procurement," Hubbard said.
"Our plan is to kind of bring them a menu, a suite of options, if you will, of, ‘hey, we can buy these current boats and re-purpose them. We can build new boats, or we can build one really big boat here,’" he said. "There are a lot of logistics and fine-tuned information that we have to be worked out."
Hubbard’s plans to operate the ferry for half the cost of the previous vendor.
PREVIOUS: Cross Bay Ferry making a comeback after PSTA grant
It has not been decided where the ferry will dock in St. Pete and Tampa hasn’t yet been decided, but PSTA staff says they want it to be in a high traffic area of the downtowns, well lit, safe and have adequate public parking nearby.
"The goal, the hope that the PSTA had, was starting service by spring break of 2026, and that's a very ambitious timeline everybody is well aware of, and it's a lofty goal. Maybe we can try to get there, but I'm confident sometime in 2026 that service will be up and running," Hubbard said.
PSTA will present a five-year interlocal agreement to St. Pete and Tampa city council's later this month that they’ll vote on in a couple of weeks. It will outline the cities’ financial commitments. The location of the ferry’s docks will be included in that agreement.
CLICK HERE:>>> Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the PSTA and Hubbard’s Marina.