Ferry transits reduced for staffing issues

The Charlotte-Essex Ferry making its way across Lake Champlain. Photo by ©Heather Forcier — The Charlotte-Essex Ferry making its way across Lake Champlain. Photo by Heather Forcier

This story has been updated to reflect that it is operating seven days a week.

The ferry from Charlotte to Essex, N.Y., reduced the number of its lake crossings a bit earlier this year.

Normally, the Charlotte-Essex Ferry cuts its departures from every 30 minutes to every hour and reduces its hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. around the first of November, said Heather Stewart with Lake Champlain Transportation.

This year the company made the switch Oct. 17.

Heather Stewart with Lake Champlain Transportation said the switch was made earlier because of staffing issues.

Unlike other businesses which can continue to operate with fewer staff, the ferry must run with a full crew, Stewart said. Like so many other businesses, Lake Champlain Transportation has been having trouble finding enough employees since the pandemic.

The ferry was completely shut down during the winter during the pandemic, but she said the company doesn’t plan to stop ferry service this winter until ice becomes an issue on Lake Champlain.