Clearwater Ferry
Clearwater Ferry operates a Thursday–Sunday water taxi service between Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, and Dunedin, Florida, helping tourists and locals avoid traffic and parking through PSTA-integrated ferry routes and a private charter offering.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersClearwater, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Clearwater Ferry does
Clearwater Ferry is a Florida-based, for-profit water transportation operator founded in 2015, headquartered in Clearwater. The company runs a scheduled water taxi service Thursday through Sunday, connecting Downtown Clearwater, the Clearwater Beach Marina (near Pier 60), and the Dunedin Marina (near local breweries, shops, and restaurants). Its core technology is a fleet of three passenger vessels—Mary's Crossing, Jennie's Crossing (both 69-passenger vessels added in 2025), and Monica's Crossing (a 63-passenger enclosed pontoon)—operated under PSTA's fixed-route transit system as an official partner of both PSTA and the Jolley Trolley. The company positions itself as a traffic-and-parking avoidance alternative for reaching Clearwater Beach, with 250,000+ annual riders cited in its advertising sales material.
Clearwater Ferry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clearwater Ferry
- Legal name
- Clearwater Ferry
- Website
- https://clearwaterferry.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Clearwater Ferry operates a Thursday–Sunday water taxi service between Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, and Dunedin, Florida, helping tourists and locals avoid traffic and parking through PSTA-integrated ferry routes and a private charter offering.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clearwater Ferry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Passenger Ferry / Water Taxi Services
- NAICS
- Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Water Transportation (483)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Urban/Commuter Ferry Operators (Harbor/Water Taxi) (TLAFALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Harbor & Water Taxi Passenger Services (THAEAGAF)
Keywords
Where Clearwater Ferry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clearwater
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clearwater Ferry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Passenger Ferry Services: The company operates water taxi/ferry services between Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, and Dunedin, charging per-trip fares for passengers.
- Advertising: Clearwater Ferry offers advertising opportunities to local businesses, reaching their 250,000+ riders. The company promotes discounted rates for advertising on their vessels.
- Private Charters: The company offers private charter services for group excursions through the inter-coastal waterway, including trips to Dunedin or Indian Rocks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Clearwater One Way - Regular Fare |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Clearwater One Way - Reduced Fare |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dunedin One Way - Regular Fare |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dunedin One Way - Reduced Fare |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Clearwater Ferry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clearwater Ferry operates a scheduled passenger water taxi/ferry service running Thursday through Sunday between Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach Marina (near Pier 60), and Dunedin Marina, charging per-trip fares to tourists and locals seeking to avoid road traffic and parking congestion at Clearwater Beach. The service is delivered using a fleet of three passenger vessels (Mary's Crossing, Jennie's Crossing, and Monica's Crossing) and is complemented by private group charter excursions along the inter-coastal waterway to Dunedin or Indian Rocks, as well as on-vessel advertising placements sold to local businesses.
Product overview
Clearwater Ferry operates as a water taxi service providing transportation between Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach Marina, and Dunedin Marina. The fleet consists of three named vessels (Mary's Crossing, Jennie's Crossing, and Monica's Crossing) offering regular scheduled ferry service Thursday through Sunday, plus private charter options for group excursions. The company positions itself as an alternative to driving to avoid traffic and parking issues at Clearwater Beach.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clearwater Ferry Water Taxi Services Scheduled passenger ferry/water taxi service running Thursday through Sunday with stops at Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach Marina (near Pier 60), and Dunedin Marina, serving tourists and locals who want to reach Clearwater Beach and Dunedin without dealing with traffic and parking. Walk-ons are welcome and reservations are recommended.
- Private Charters Private group charter service that takes groups along the inter-coastal waterway, with options to travel to Dunedin or Indian Rocks for shopping or dining. Targeted at group organizers, local residents, and event planners seeking a unique outing.
- Vessel Advertising On-vessel advertising placements sold to local businesses (such as Crabby's Bar & Grill and Salty's Island Bar & Grille), giving advertisers access to the ferry's 250,000+ annual riders at discounted rates.
Quantifiable outcome
- 250,000+ annual riders
Companies that use Clearwater Ferry
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Clearwater Ferry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Clearwater Ferry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority)coreClearwater Ferry is an official partner of PSTA. The ferry is operated by a private contractor under PSTA's fixed-route system, required to comply with PSTA's policies including ADA requirements. PSTA provides institutional backing and integration with the broader transit network.
- Jolley TrolleycoreClearwater Ferry is an official partner of the Jolley Trolley. The Jolley Trolley has introduced a new stop that brings passengers directly to the Clearwater Ferry in Downtown Clearwater. The partnership provides first/last mile connectivity for ferry passengers.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Clearwater Ferry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tampa Water Taxi Company: Operates a hop-on/hop-off water taxi service across Tampa Bay, connecting downtown Tampa, Harbour Island, and St. Petersburg. Most directly comparable to Clearwater Ferry in operating model (urban water taxi), target customer (tourists and locals avoiding traffic/parking), and pricing structure, but in an adjacent Tampa Bay market.
- Key West Express: Operates a high-speed passenger ferry between Fort Myers Beach and Key West along Florida's Gulf Coast. Comparable as a Florida passenger ferry operator serving tourist corridors, though its route is longer-haul and uses high-speed catamaran vessels versus Clearwater's intra-coastal service.
- Water Taxi Fort Lauderdale: Long-running Florida water taxi serving Fort Lauderdale's Intracoastal Waterway with hop-on/hop-off service and partnerships with local hotels/attractions. Closest large-scale analogue to Clearwater Ferry in route structure, branding, and integration with local tourism ecosystem, just in a different Florida market.
- Cross Bay Ferry (St. Petersburg–Tampa): Pilot passenger ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa across Tampa Bay. Directly comparable in service model (commuter/tourist water route on Tampa Bay) and target customer, and represents the type of transit-agency-partnered water service Clearwater Ferry could evolve into if PSTA expanded its contract scope.
Emerging players
- The Tropics Boat Tours: Clearwater-based boat tour operator that is a cross-promotion partner of Clearwater Ferry via the "Things To Do" page. Comparable operator in the same waters and customer funnel (Clearwater Beach visitors), offering dolphin/sightseeing tours as a complementary experience to ferry transport.
- Put-in-Bay and Lake Erie island ferry operators: Mid-size U.S. passenger ferry operators running point-to-point routes in leisure destinations. Comparable in operational profile (small fleet, seasonal schedule, island/point-to-point tourist commuter service) and useful as a sizing/operational benchmark for Clearwater Ferry's small-fleet model.
- Sunset cruises and charter operators in Tampa Bay: Local Tampa Bay charter and sightseeing operators (e.g., Enchanted Charters) that compete for the same private-charter and group-excursion spend as Clearwater Ferry's charter product. Comparable in charter use case and customer base, but operate from a different home port.
Regional players
- StarLite Cruises: Based in nearby Dunedin/Clearwater Beach, offering dining cruises, dolphin cruises, and private charters out of the same marinas used by Clearwater Ferry. Direct geographic overlap and overlapping customer base, with a more leisure-cruise orientation versus the commuter water-taxi model.
- Calypso Queen Tropical Cruises: Operates a passenger day-cruise vessel in the Clearwater/Dunedin area. Comparable in geography and customer base (Clearwater tourists), but focused on leisure cruising rather than point-to-point transportation, making it a partial substitute rather than a direct route competitor.
- St. Pete Beach Water Taxi / Island Ferry: Operates water taxi service in the St. Pete Beach and Shell Key area. Comparable in vessel size, route length, and tourist use case, but serving a different beach corridor within the broader Tampa Bay market than Clearwater Ferry.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clearwater Ferry social profiles
Digital presenceClearwater Ferry compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Clearwater Ferry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clearwater Ferry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Clearwater Ferry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clearwater Ferry M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Ferry
What does Clearwater Ferry do?
Clearwater Ferry operates a scheduled passenger water taxi/ferry service running Thursday through Sunday between Downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach Marina (near Pier 60), and Dunedin Marina, charging per-trip fares to tourists and locals seeking to avoid road traffic and parking congestion at Clearwater Beach. The service is delivered using a fleet of three passenger vessels (Mary's Crossing, Jennie's Crossing, and Monica's Crossing) and is complemented by private group charter excursions along the inter-coastal waterway to Dunedin or Indian Rocks, as well as on-vessel advertising placements sold to local businesses.
Is Clearwater Ferry a public or private company?
Clearwater Ferry is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Clearwater Ferry founded?
Clearwater Ferry was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Clearwater Ferry based?
Clearwater Ferry is headquartered in Clearwater, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clearwater Ferry make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Passenger Ferry Services are the primary driver. The others are advertising and private Charters.
Who are Clearwater Ferry's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tampa Water Taxi Company, Key West Express, Water Taxi Fort Lauderdale and Cross Bay Ferry (St. Petersburg–Tampa). Emerging players are The Tropics Boat Tours, Put-in-Bay and Lake Erie island ferry operators and Sunset cruises and charter operators in Tampa Bay. Regional players are StarLite Cruises, Calypso Queen Tropical Cruises and St. Pete Beach Water Taxi / Island Ferry.
Does Clearwater Ferry have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clearwater Ferry.
What industry is Clearwater Ferry in?
Clearwater Ferry's product category is Passenger Ferry / Water Taxi Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFALAB, Urban/Commuter Ferry Operators (Harbor/Water Taxi), with a secondary code of THAEAGAF, Harbor & Water Taxi Passenger Services. Its NAICS code is 483114 and its SIC code is 4400.