The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division today announced two adjustments to its summer season schedules, which will begin May 3 on the popular Hatteras-Ocracoke route and May 24 on the Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke routes. During summer season, the Hatteras route goes from 18 to 36 daily departures on each side, Cedar Island goes from three to five daily departures, and Swan Quarter goes from three to four.

The date for the two Pamlico Sound routes to switch to a summer schedule was originally May 3, but traffic patterns and reservation data shows little need for the extra runs on those routes until schools start letting out for the summer.

“Shoulder season is getting stronger every year,” said Ferry Division Director Ed Goodwin, “but our traffic data shows that most of that early season traffic comes from the Hatteras side and not from Pamlico Sound. By making these adjustments, we’ll be able to meet that early season demand without running empty boats.”

The Ferry Division has also announced an amended schedule for summer Sundays on the Hatteras-Ocracoke route, running 30 departures from each side on Sundays through October 9. The schedule change will allow ferry crews to complete weekly training mandated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Sundays were selected because they are the least traveled day on that route.

To view or download all ferry schedules for 2016, go to http://www.ncdot.gov/download/transit/ferry/ferryschedule.pdf.