More than $544,000 in federal funding will help replace aging engines aboard Long Beach Transit’s water taxi fleet, improving service between downtown Long Beach and Alamitos Bay.
LONG BEACH — Long Beach Transit will receive more than $544,000 in federal funding to upgrade its water taxi fleet, an investment expected to improve reliability while supporting one of the city’s more distinctive forms of waterfront transportation.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Long Beach Transit a $544,904 grant to replace aging passenger ferry engines with newer equipment, Rep. Robert Garcia announced.
The upgrades are intended to provide cleaner, faster and more reliable service while reducing maintenance costs associated with the existing engines.
For Long Beach residents and visitors, the investment supports a transportation system that also serves as a connection to the city’s waterfront. Long Beach Transit operates seasonal water taxi service linking destinations around downtown Long Beach and Alamitos Bay, giving passengers an alternative way to travel between waterfront attractions and businesses.
“Investments like this make a real difference in the everyday lives of Long Beach residents,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “Upgrading Long Beach Transit’s water taxi fleet will provide a more reliable, accessible connection between downtown and Alamitos Bay while strengthening a unique transportation option that connects residents, visitors and businesses across our waterfront.”
The funding comes as Southern California prepares for increased international attention and transportation demand surrounding the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Garcia has advocated for federal investments in transit systems serving Los Angeles and Long Beach ahead of the Games.
Long Beach is scheduled to host several Olympic and Paralympic events in 2028, placing additional attention on transportation infrastructure and connections throughout the waterfront.
The $544,904 award is part of a broader $665 million federal investment announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation to modernize ferry systems and infrastructure across the country.
While significantly smaller than Long Beach’s bus network, the water taxi system fills a unique role by connecting destinations from the water rather than adding vehicles to already busy waterfront streets.
For the boating community, the investment also highlights the role passenger vessels continue to play within Long Beach’s working waterfront. Alongside recreational boats, commercial vessels and port traffic, the water taxis provide another link between the city and the waterways that have long shaped it.
Replacing the aging engines is expected to help keep that connection operating more reliably while preparing Long Beach’s waterfront transportation network for the increased activity expected in the years leading up to 2028.
