Fire Island Water Taxi operator moves to hike fares by more than $100 for some trips

Water taxi rides to Fire Island could become far more expensive this summer as the largest operator of that service plans fare hikes of more than $100 for some one-way trips, citing a string of financial losses, Suffolk County legislative documents show.

Fire Island Water Taxi LLC has asked the Suffolk Legislature for permission to hike fares as much as 51.3% for a trip beginning this year. The company is a subsidiary of Fire Island Ferries Inc., the largest ferry operator on Fire Island, which was formed in 1947, Newsday has reported.

The company is asking to raise the average seasonal base fare for trips from West Sayville and Bay Shore from $263 to $377 — a 44% uptick in what’s been the typical rate since 2022. The base fare covers up to six passengers. 

The largest fare hike is $142 for nighttime and early morning trips from West Sayville to Fire Island's west end. Those rides currently cost $300, and fares would leap to $442 under the proposal.

The fare hikes would apply to water taxis, but not the ferry service. Taxis are generally pricier than regular ferries. Cross-bay taxi trips don't follow a set schedule and can be ordered at any time, and allow passengers to carry more belongings.

Sean Carlin, a manager at Fire Island Water Taxi, declined to comment about the fare increases.

“I’m very concerned about rates for our residents and visitors. But there are certain strains on the ferry companies, [including] the minimum wage increases,” Suffolk County Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters) said in an interview. “It’s also inflation throughout the country.”

The Suffolk Legislature has to approve the rate hikes. The county licenses all Fire Island ferry and water taxi operators, so it has the final say on fare changes.

New fare hikes

The Suffolk County Budget Review Office report cited rising staff costs driven by increases in the state's minimum wage.

The company didn’t request any fare changes for more than a decade after its founding in 2004, but has requested four since 2015. The legislature approved increases in 2015, 2019 and 2022. 

Fire Island Water Taxi's parent company, Fire Island Ferry, operates a ferry service that brings passengers from Bay Shore to Fire Island. It charges $25 per adult for a round-trip, but it goes to fewer locations than the taxis, allows less luggage on board and follows a set pickup schedule.

Fire Island Water Taxi offers two types of trips that have their own fare schedules.

The cross-bay rides ferry passengers between mainland Long Island and Fire Island. They are the most expensive, and cross-bay fares are to rise the most under the proposal.

Cross-bay fares cover up to six passengers and range from $225 to $300 during the summer, depending on the time of day and the taxi’s route. That range would be $312 to $442 under the new fare schedule.

Fare for travel between points on Fire Island would rise slightly, about 4%.

Those “lateral” trips take passengers from one point on Fire Island to another. Cars are not allowed on the island, so water taxis are one of the main ways to get somewhere quickly. 

Those trips currently range from $12 to $25. That would increase to a range of $12.80 and $26 under the new fare proposal.

Financial losses

The cross-bay water taxis aren't often used by the typical Fire Island visitor, Legis. Trish Bergin (R-East Islip) said. Most day-trippers opt for the less expensive ferry, while the taxi service is a "luxury," she said.

Families who vacation on Fire Island for a longer stretch of time and need to bring more things on their trip are most likely to be affected by the price hikes.

Suffolk's Budget Review Office report on Fire Island Water Taxi’s financials found the company sustained losses during each of the past three years, including a loss of about $505,000 in 2024.

Payroll rose 28% from 2022 to 2024 largely due to annual increases in the state’s minimum wage, which created “a cascade effect on all its payroll tiers,” according to the county's report. The company said its fuel expenses have risen 47% since 2022, according to the report.

Fire Island Water Taxi is expected to sustain a $417,000 loss in 2025 if its rates aren’t increased, according to the county’s review. If rates are hiked, the company is expected to turn a profit of about $131,000 this year.

The budget office said it supported the company's request: “The operating losses that are resultant, at least in part, from increased costs for salaries, benefits, and fuel in 2024 indicate that a rate increase is reasonable.”

By Sam Kmack

sam.kmack@newsday.com

Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.