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Ferry Riding

David Bauernschmidt is a dedicated Jamestown-Scotland Ferry rider. In fact, his license plate is a testimony to his primary means of getting to work -- RIVER XR.

Bauernschmidt lives in Williamsburg and works at Smithfield Foods Inc. so he hops a ride across the James River every day on board VDOT's free Jamestown-Scotland Ferry.

David Bauernschmidt, ferry rider"I love taking the ferry to work because it gives me time to wake up in the morning, and time to wind down in the afternoon going home. It also saves me about an hour of driving each day."

On the one-mile trip from his home to the ferry each morning and from the ferry each afternoon, Bauernschmidt hits three stop signs and no traffic lights. He pulls onto the "moving bridge" between  6:50 and 7:15 a.m. each day.

In the morning, he reads devotions in his car on the way to work. On the way home, he catches the ferry between 5:15 and 5:45 p.m. and reads the paper during the 15-minute ride.

"I like to get out and walk around on the ferry in the afternoon sometimes too," he said. "It's a pleasant trip."

Although it takes about 22 minutes to get to the ferry from Smithfield Foods, Bauernschmidt says it still saves him time and gas on a commute that would take much longer and hold more headaches than taking the ferry.

"When I started taking the ferry about eight or nine years ago, everybody at work thought it would take me so long, but it takes just 45 minutes for the whole commute. Now, no fewer than 12 to 13 people at Smithfield take the ferry. The ferry ride is so nice that I don't even consider it to be part of my commute."




Factoid

The scenic crossing from  Jamestown to the landing at Scotland is the only 24-hour state-run ferry operation in Virginia. 




Other ferries 

From Crisfield, Maryland

  • To Tangier Island, VA (410) 968-2338
  • To Smith Island (410) 425-5931 or  (410) 425-4471



Page last modified: Thursday, May 15, 2008