The Dorothy Day, the newest member of the Staten Island Ferry fleet, set sail on her inaugural ride with great fanfare on Friday morning.
Departing from the St. George Terminal on Staten Island, the Dorothy Day — the Ollis-class vessel named for the legendary, 20th century Catholic peace activist — transported a class of dignitaries for her maiden run, including City Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi and a number of Day’s family, friends and colleagues.
The addition of the Dorothy Day marks the third and final Ollis-class vessel to join the fleet. It was commissioned back in November, and brought into service on April 28 after passing all safety and quality control inspections and tests.
The $85 million ferry includes state-of-the-art technology — including cellphone chargers — and enough capacity to hold up to 4,500 passengers safely and comfortably. Following Friday’s pomp and circumstance, she’ll officially go into regular passenger service next week, according to the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT), which operates the free Staten Island Ferry.
For Rodriguez, the name of the new vessel is fitting, considering that Day enjoyed taking the ferry while living on Staten Island.
“We know that during her life, Day loved riding this ferry — and she was like Staten Islanders who know that a short ferry ride can serve as a peaceful, even meaningful, escape from the hustle and bustle of life in our city,” Rodriguez said. “We thank all the activists — from the Catholic Worker, the Dorothy Day Guild and so many other places — who are joining us today, as they keep Dorothy’s vital memory and incredible legacy alive.”
Cardinal Dolan, who heads the Archdiocese of New York, offered a statement praying for the vessel and the service it will provide.
“As we celebrate the inaugural trip of the Dorothy Day ferry, we recall her love for Staten Island and the City of New York,” said…
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