Uber, the popular smartphone-based taxi service, tried out a new ferry service in East Boston and the Boston Harbor last month.

Going by the name of UberBOAT, the service ran for two weeks in June while the fledgling company measured demand before deciding how many resources to pour into a full time ferry service.

The cost of UberBOAT is $10 per person, per ride, plus a $1 Uber booking fee. A $2 gratuity is also added for the captain automatically. For this soft launch, Uber partnered with Boston Harbor Cruises, a well-established professional ferry service with an acknowledged track record.

Professional ferry operators are licensed by the state in which they operate; obtaining a ferry license is far more involved than getting a standard driver’s license. Uber has yet to reveal whether its long-term ferry plans involve a continued partnership with an existing company or something more akin to their taxi service. (According to Uber’s website, drivers must have their own car, with insurance, along with a valid driver’s license, and pass a background check.)

Hopefully, the company applies similarly stringent guidelines for its new ferry service; operating a boat is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly.

Find a Ferry Accident Lawyer

Unfortunately, not all ferry operators take the required precautions to ensure their passengers’ safety. For the victims of ferry accidents, the first step in bringing those responsible to justice is knowing your rights under maritime law, which the qualified and experienced attorneys at Latti & Anderson can explain to you at no charge.

Latti & Anderson’s Little Extra: The busiest ferry route in the world, by number of departures, is between Scania, Sweden and Elsinore, Denmark. 

Latti & Anderson LLP- Nationwide maritime attorneys

Source: http://www.eastietimes.com/2014/06/10/uber-ferry-service-launched-in-east-boston/