North Carolina Department of Transportation -- Ferry Division
Raleigh, NC · NTD ID 44958 · 2024 report year
North Carolina Department of Transportation -- Ferry Division carries 1.4 million passenger trips a year on ferryboat service — making it the 257th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Raleigh, NC.
It spends $49.3 million a year running that service, or $35.82 per trip. Its ferryboat service, the largest of its modes, costs $35.82 per rider — 84% above the $19.42 median for the 39 US agencies reporting ferryboat.
Over the 6 years reported, ridership is 11782% above its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and down 3% on 2023.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferryboat#9 of 39 nationally | 1,377,381 | $49.3 million | $35.82 | +84% | — | 17 |
Ridership, 2019–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,377,381 | $49.3 million | $35.82 |
| 2023 | 1,418,104 | $48.3 million | $34.08 |
| 2022 | 1,431,686 | $44.2 million | $30.90 |
| 2021 | 10,217 | $1.1 million | $107.27 |
| 2020 | 16,367 | $987,378 | $60.33 |
| 2019 | 11,592 | $448,794 | $38.72 |
Where North Carolina Department of Transportation -- Ferry Division ranks
- Highest-Ridership Ferry Systems #9 of 39
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Ask NTD about North Carolina Department of Transportation -- Ferry Division →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.