The St. Johns River Ferry will get a second boat, but it won't be your grandfather's vessel.JTA landed a $15.6 million federal grant for the purchase of a ferry that will operate on a hybrid mix of diesel and battery power when it starts taking vehicles across the river sometime in 2028 or 2029.The St. Johns River Ferry provides daily service between Mayport and Ft. George Island, but its scenic trip across the St. Johns River gets put on hold for weeks when the current boat is undergoing required maintenance and upgrades. JTA still must order the second boat and it will take some time to manufacture it, but the grant will help foot the bill for getting the long-sought vessel that will reduce or eliminate downtime for ferry service.
