Water Taxi

A water taxi or water bus is a boat used to provide public transport, usually in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar manner to a taxi.

In North American usage, the two terms are roughly synonymous, whilst elsewhere the term water taxi is usually confined to a boat operating on demand, and water bus to a boat operating on a schedule.

A boat service shuttling between two points would normally be described as a ferry rather than a water bus or taxi.

Cities and other places operating water buses and/or taxis include:

Auckland
Baltimore
Boston
Bristol
Cardiff Bay, Cardiff
Dubai
Fort Lauderdale
London
New York City
Pittsburgh
Rotterdam/Dordrecht
Seattle
Sydney
Tigre, Buenos Aires
Toronto
Tokyo
Vancouver BC
Venice
Winnipeg
Mexico City

On demand water taxis are also commonly found in marinas, harbours and cottage areas, providing access to boats and waterfront properties that are not directly accessible by land.

On March 6, 2004, a water taxi on the Seaport Taxi service operated by the Living Classrooms Foundation capsized during a storm on the Patapsco River, near Baltimore's Inner Harbor. A total of 5 passengers died in the accident, which the National Transportation Safety Board determined was caused by insufficient stability when the small pontoon-style vessel encountered strong winds and waves. The company no longer operates water taxi vessels in Baltimore harbor.

ACCESSORIES