The ferries connecting the South and North Forks with Shelter Island now require that all customers wear a mask or facial covering, even inside their cars.
A notice on the South Ferry's website states that effective Friday, April 17, all customers boarding the South Ferry must wear a mask or facial covering "by order of the Governor of New York." The service ferries vehicles and passengers between North Haven and Shelter Island.
The North Ferry's website also includes a notice that “face coverings are required to board [the] ferry." The North Ferry connects vehicles and passenger between Shelter Island and Greenport.
The Town of Shelter Island earlier mandated a 14-day quarantine for new arrivals. The island had seven confirmed Covid-19 cases as of Monday, according to Suffolk County.
Tickets for the South Ferry are now available online as well as on the ferry. Tickets purchased online can be scanned electronically by crew members, allowing the vehicle's driver to keep the windows closed.
Much of the North Ferry's traffic still requires a physical exchange of a ticket, a representative said on Tuesday, particularly if a ticket is purchased on board. Passengers without standing accounts are asked to pay the fare with exact change or pre-written check. The North Ferry also sells tickets by mail.
This article has been updated to correct the ticketing process on the North Ferry.