Commuter Spotlight
Noah Zucker: Fencer, Father and Daily Ferry Commuter
I am a Technical Product Manager at NYSE Technologies (the technology services division of NYSE Euronext). When our corporate offices moved to 100 Wall Street, my commute route became obvious – 100 Wall is just one block from Pier 11 ferry terminal. You can’t get a commute that’s more convenient than that.
I experimented with taking the PATH train to the World Financial Center and walking cross-town, but that commuting option adds up to an extra 30 minutes a day – time I would rather spend with my family. It’s nice to have a backup travel route, but for the last two years, I have taken the ferry every weekday between Hoboken and Pier 11.
Taking the ferry is not only fast, but is also extremely comfortable. With a commute that is now 100% above-ground, the hour I spend commuting each day is my opportunity to catch up on the news and browse the web on my smart phone. There is always plenty of room to sit or stand, and the experience is peaceful since many other riders are also reading the news on their tablets.
When I first started taking the ferry I used one-way tickets but eventually wound up getting the monthly pass since it was both cheaper and more convenient. At $214 per month, the pass isn’t cheap, but I use Transitcheks through my employer to pay for my commute with pre-tax dollars. And soon I will be able to purchase and access my monthly pass on my Android smartphone, which is even more convenient since I won’t have to worry about losing my pass or having my kids steal it because of the shiny stickers.
Having such a short commute has really helped with my quality of life. I get home early enough to see my young children every day, and go to the gym or fencing practice a couple of times a week. The kids love knowing that I take a boat to work and get really excited whenever we’re at Pier A in Hoboken and a New York Waterway boat passes by. During summer vacations, they often meet me at the ferry terminal on Friday evenings so we can go out to dinner and walk home together. When you are a full-time working parent, the little things like that really make a difference.
