Big families blast 25-child ferry limit
It's the many-child-left-behind policy.
Furious Hasidic parents claim the 25-child limit on the new East River ferries is unfair -- because it can't accommodate their extra-large broods.
The strictly enforced cap on kids has even forced some oversized families to cancel plans at the last minute, furious critics charge.
Finally fed up with the restriction, many in the ultra-Orthodox community are ready to abandon ship.
"It's utter nonsense. Twenty-five children is five families," said Isaac Abraham, a Williamsburg, Brooklyn, resident.
"They should've sat down with this community to be prepared for what they would face," he added. "This is a community with a lot of kids."
Scores of frustrated mothers are often found at Schaefer Landing near the Williamsburg Bridge -- a predominantly Hasidic neighborhood -- unable to board with their gaggle.
Sometimes, children are forbidden from boarding even when the ferry is only half-full -- because the limit on kiddies has already been reached.
The debacle has led to bitter arguments between parents turned away at the docks and staffers with NY Waterway, the company contracted to operate the vessels.
"They walked away with the perception that we Jews have too many kids -- and those people didn't like it," said Abraham.
That's a charge NY Waterway strongly denied -- and pointed to the very men who own the company.
"The owners of NY Waterway's East River Ferry are themselves Jewish and sensitive to the needs of every community they serve," the operators said in a statement.
Under Coast Guard rules, the operator is required to provide enough kiddie life vests for 10 percent of the total capacity.
In this case, that's 15 life vests.
The ferries were initially launched with just the minimum number -- but it led to problems.
Faced with Hasidic parents ready to stage a mutiny, NY Waterway quickly added 10 more vests.
But many say it still isn't enough.
Rivky Stienberg and a friend recently took eight children to the ferry -- but had to wait for two stifling hours before a boat could take them.
"I would not try this again," Stienberg told the Brooklyn Paper.
Reps for NY Waterway insist they are working closely with the area's residents.
"East River ferryboats already carry 66 percent more child-size life preservers than the US Coast Guard mandates," a statement read.
"We will of course continue to listen to the community and adapt to meet the needs of our riders," the company said.
The service, which generally runs between 34th Street in Manhattan and the Financial District, costs $4 per ride.
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