Commuters on the Staten Island Ferry fear that without bathroom attendants the facilities will go from sparkling to unsightly, especially during weekend "drunk boat" hours. At a budget hearing yesterday the Department of Transportation announced it would eliminate the jobs of eight women's room matrons and a dozen deckhands that clean the men's rooms, reports the Advance. Though the attendants cost the city $1.4 million per year, ferry passengers were distressed by the decision. "There's going to be drunk people in here and a mess," said Jessica Sosa of Dongan Hills.
Starting in June, maintenance workers will take over for the cleaners, tidying up only in the five-minute intervals when the ferry is docked at either terminal. "What happens if someone gets ill or has an accident? We have to wait until the boat docks to have it cleaned up? That's not right," said one commuter, adding that, "This is just another example of Staten Island commuters getting the short end of the stick." The issue is of particular concern since last year the Staten Island ferry saw a great increase in ridership.
