NY Waterway’s ferry service between Hoboken, N.J., and Midtown Manhattan was a hit during the “summer of hell.”

But now that commuters have the option of a direct train ride into New York Penn Station and NJ Transit is no longer picking up the tab for the ferry, the Hudson River ride seems to have lost some luster.

According to NY Waterway, the private company that operates the ferry, the new service has averaged 160 passengers a day during the past two weeks.

About 2,200 passengers a day rode the Hoboken-line ferry this summer, when NY Waterway ran a temporary Midtown service for thousands of NJ Transit riders diverted to Hoboken while Amtrak carried out emergency repair work at Penn Station.

NY Waterway launched a permanent Midtown service on Sept. 5. The company’s president, Arthur Imperatore, said he hoped to attract 1,000 passengers a day with the new line, charging $8 a ride or $274.50 for a monthly pass.