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Two Staten Island ferries cross in our busy New York Harbor. July 27, 2015

(Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel)

CITY HALL -- Increased service buoyed Staten Island Ferry ridership to record levels this year.

There were 23.1 million ferry passengers between July 2015 and this past June, according the Mayor's Management Report for fiscal year 2016. That's about 1.2 million more riders or a 5 percent increase from the same time last year.

That's also about a million more than the previous record set in 2012, when the ferry had 22.2 million riders.

The city noted last fall's implementation of half-hour ferry service to explain the ridership boost.

"With New York City's strong economy and ferry boats now crossing the harbor to and from Staten Island at least every 30 minutes, 24/7, it's no surprise that we saw a surge in ridership this past year," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.

The Department of Transportation added 26 additional trips in October 2015 to ensure a boat always leaves every 30 minutes or less.

A city-commissioned feasibility study estimated in 2014 that increasing service with existing ferries would result in only about 160,000 new passengers annually.

Borough President James Oddo, whose law mandated the service increase, said that the ridership total released on Monday show the new trips were worth the fight.

"These numbers underscore our belief that the most consistent mass transit outlet Staten Islanders have is our Ferry," Oddo said in a statement. "The universe of Staten Island Ferry riders will continue to grow, and that's why we have asked the Administration to sit down now with us so we can continue to improve service today for commuters and be ready for the crush of tourists coming next year and beyond."

Oddo added that this is why he asked the city to study new designations for the ferry.

"From quality-of-life improvements, like new charging stations in terminals, to more than $300 million invested in the new 'Ollis Class' of ferries, we are committed to providing world-class ferry service to and from Staten Island at no cost to passengers," de Blasio said.

The first of three new ferry boats, named for the late Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, will hit the water in 2019. The new boats are funded with some $314 million in federal, state and city money as well as grants.

Last year's new service was possible with $4.9 million more in the Department of Transportation's budget. The ridership increase kept the cost per passenger at $5.87 for the second year in a row.

The city reported that 92.3 percent of trips were on time from July 2015 to June 2016. There were 19 passenger injuries during that time, compared to 32 in the previous 12 months.

The fiscal year 2016 figure is the highest ridership since the city began annually releasing that number in the Mayor's Management Report, though comprehensive records are not available.

Reports from the Advance in the 1960s indicate ferry ridership peaked in 1964, when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened. The ferry recorded 27.5 million fares that year, up half a million from 1963.

The above article was updated to include ridership figures from the Advance's own archives.