City council unanimously approved a license agreement permitting Potomac Riverboat Company to use its water taxis for commuter service during a public hearing on Saturday.

Commuters interested in taking the water taxi can start doing so on March 1. Per the license agreement, watertaxis will start service at 6 a.m. Commuter passes cost $295 and are valid from March 1 to Dec. 31, while a single roundtrip ticket costs $10.

The city and Potomac Riverboat Company explored the potential for early morning commuter hours during the Metro shutdown last summer – to great success.

“This is one of those examples where I think the Metro shutdown gave us a chance to try something out and I think we saw it was successful,” Mayor Justin Wilson said.

Councilor Del Pepper, who opposed the concept of water taxi commuter service for about a decade out of concern for parking in Old Town, ended up putting forward the motion to approve the license agreement due to the wave of positive feedback the city received during its trial run of the service.

“It appears that during our trial that occurred during the time of the Metro issues that [parking] was not a problem,” Pepper said. “And so, for that reason, I’m going to support it – with the caveat that I hope staff will be following this, and if this becomes a problem for the neighbors, then I want it brought back for our discussion.”

Schedule information is available at: www.potomacriverboatco.com

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