NEW ORLEANS — Algiers residents are begging for answers as their ferry service has been out now for about two months. Dozens of people protested with signs in front of RTA headquarters on Canal Tuesday evening.
"Our commute time has more than tripled," one woman said.
They've noticed an impact on tourism, since without the ferries, not as many visitors are making it over to stop by their businesses.
"We have a bed and breakfast in Algiers Point and we're normally totally booked in December and January and we're just telling people we have no transportation," said Hillery Moise.
She said her bed and breakfast in is typically fully-booked with 11 guests.
"We have none right now, we have nothing," she said.
City Council member Kristin Palmer joined the protest too.
"We have bars and restaurants that rely on this time of year for service and they're just not getting it," Palmer said.
She's concerned for business owners like Mark Rosenbaum who owns a glass studio."I'm not getting tourists coming through," he said.
RTA CEO Alex Wiggins said in November, they're still waiting for the go-ahead from Coast Guard inspections to put the new ferries in service. The $10 million boats arrived in New Orleans last July, but have yet to take riders across the Mississippi.
"It's like the city spent $10 million on brand new ferries they never planned on using," said Graham Robinson who lives in Algiers.
A spokesperson with RTA told us Tuesday a special board meeting will be held Monday to award the new ferry operations and maintenance contract. That was originally slated to happen December 17.
There still is not an exact date on when the ferries may be back in service.