Island ferry schedule shakeup adds early sailings, drops late-night run

Starting January 6, the first weekday sailing from the island terminal will leave at 5:40 a.m., twenty minutes earlier than today. The change answers years of requests from shift workers who arrive on the mainland just after their start times.

The trade-off is at the other end of the day. The 11:10 p.m. return sailing is being cut, making 9:40 p.m. the last boat home on weeknights.

"We heard loud and clear about mornings," a spokesperson for the fictional operator said. "Late-night ridership has been the lowest on the route for three years running."

Restaurant owners near the terminal say the earlier last sailing will hurt their evening trade. Several plan to raise the issue at next month's public meeting.

The full timetable is expected online by mid-November.