New weekday schedule for North Ferry Co., North Folk officials say

North Fork officials announced the start of new weekday schedule adjustments for the ferry service connecting Shelter Island residents to Greenport’s LIRR station.

North Ferry Co. this week is starting a 5 a.m. weekday departure so Shelter Island residents have a chance to catch the first train from Greenport at 5:25 a.m. Additionally, the service is adjusting the second weekday ferry departure to 5:30 a.m. from 5:40 a.m. so commuters can catch the 5:55 a.m. Hampton Jitney from Greenport, officials said.

The service extension came about after Shelter Island residents complained there was not enough coordination among often-used transportation options for them to commute between their homes and the mainland.

Bridgford Hunt, general manager of North Ferry, called the new schedule a “game-changer.”

“People can have a more relaxed connection with the train at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday,” Hunt said.

Suffolk Legis. Bridget Fleming (D-Sag Harbor) and Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue), and State Assemb. Fred Thiele Jr.(I-Sag Harbor), said Tuesday the new weekday schedule would help improve public transportation for East End commuters and get cars off the road.

Elizabeth Galle, a Shelter Island resident whose husband, Michael Galle, works as a property asset manager in Manhattan, said the new service would allow him to “develop a very flexible workweek, which is going to be awesome for us.”