BREAKING NEWS: No Contract For Duck Boat Company
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BREAKING NEWS: No Contract For Duck Boat Company
Catherine Lucey
Mayor Nutter today announced that the city will not award a contract to the amphibious tour company Ride the Ducks to operate on the Schuylkill River.
“The City has fully reviewed Ride the Ducks proposal for the Schuylkill River and does not feel that it meets the City’s standards for operations,” said Nutter in a press release.
Back in October, the city announced that Ride the Ducks would be moving to the Schuylkill in March. The boats, which previously toured the Delaware River, have not been in operation since a July 7 accident in which two tourists were killed.
Not long after that announcement, the city said it was legally required to permit a competitive bidding process. Ride The Ducks was the only bidder for the contract.
The prospect of moving the boats to the Schuylkill has met with substantial opposition in the surrounding neighborhoods. In today's announcement, Managing Director Rich Negrin said the city was concerned about the impact on traffic and how the tours could operate during special events.
On July 7, a duck boat with 37 people on board was hit by a city-owned sludge barge being pushed by a tugboat operated by a private contractor. The duck boat capsized, and two Hungarian tourists were killed.
For more details, here's the press release from the Mayor's Office:
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA DOES NOT AWARD CONTRACT FOR AMPHIBIOUS TOURS ON THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER
Philadelphia, January 25, 2011 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced today that the City of Philadelphia will not award a contract in response to its request for proposal (RFP) for an amphibious tour on the Schuylkill River.
“The City has fully reviewed Ride the Ducks proposal for the Schuylkill River and does not feel that it meets the City’s standards for operations,” said Mayor Nutter.
An RFP was issued on November 19, 2010 for Amphibious Tours on the Schuylkill River. The Managing Director’s Office, Parks and Recreation, the Office of Transportation and the Law Department carefully crafted that RFP to capture many community concerns, including noise, traffic, the on Schuylkill Banks and other potential disruptions of recreational uses on the River. Responses were due on December 22, 2010. Ride the Ducks submitted the only response
Managing Director Richard Negrin said, “We appreciate Ride the Ducks efforts to address community concerns, but when all is said and done the proposal’s potential traffic impact, the number of vessels that could be on the river at one time and the inability for the tours to operate during special events were issues with which the City was uncomfortable.”
A technical review committee consisting of representatives of the Managing Director’s Office, Office of Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Office of Economic Opportunity, Commerce Department and Planning Commission, with input from Finance, Law and Risk Management, unanimously recommended that the contract not be awarded.
“The City has fully reviewed Ride the Ducks proposal for the Schuylkill River and does not feel that it meets the City’s standards for operations,” said Mayor Nutter.
Well last I checked there was already a tour boat service in the river. So what standard did they meet?— tiger
The Ride the Ducks people haven't greased the right palms yet. Someone will make a "campaign contribution" sooner or later and then- bingo, the city will all of a sudden see the situation in a new light. Money makes the world go round- especially in Philly.
— bling
I'm not sure about this. My initial reaction was "Good," but then I started thinking, don't many of the world's great cities enhance their appeal with river tours? You've got your bateaux mouches on the Seine, your boat tours of the Thames, your Circle Line on the East, Harlem and Hudson, even your cruises on the Sumida in Tokyo. As things stand now with the Delaware riverfront being so remote and generally offputting, the Schuylkill is Philadelphia's equivalent to the above. Is there somebody (I agree the Ducks are ugly and crass) who can put on a classy boat tour on the Schuylkill?
Comment removed.
I don’t understand why so many people have an issue with the duck boats. They are a tourist attraction and something that is beneficial as a tourist attraction and no detriment to the city. What the real concern hear is why a barge is floating down the Delaware River not paying attention. Boats just like cars break down and are helpless. The Duck Boat did everything they should have done and the only reason why this horrible accident happened is because a driver wasn’t paying attention…much like a stranded car getting hit on the side of a road because someone was texting while driving. What happened to the driver of the barge? Has he/she been suspended? What were they doing at the time of the accident and why were they not paying attention? What is wrong with this city when no one takes responsibility for there actions and someone looses there business because of some else’s negligence! Keep them on the Delaware!— jamericatv- "Ride the Ducks not feel that it meets the City’s standards for operations,” True. They killed two people.— Don Cornelius
- Outstanding decision. Thanks to Mayor Nutter and those responsible. They took the heat - deservedly so - but in the end, they did come through for the citizens, the Park, the River and the public interest.— Cesare_Borgia
- I still don't know why the Duck Boat rides were stopped in the first place. The accident was caused by the barge wasn't it? before that there were no other incidents.....so because a barge hit's and sinks a boat the boat's owners are to blame....give me a break....
— mbutley - I'm so thrilled the Duck thorn in our collective foot has been removed. Philadelphia will continue and grow to be a great place to visit. Maybe, just maybe, visitors will participate with our city rather than treat us as an entertainment/info commercial. Its a great day!— citizen01
- I'm so glad to hear that the Duck boats won't be violating the Schuylkill! I walk there all the time and the thoughts of the loud music, the quackers and all the other nonsense sent chills down my spine! Besides, there isn't as much to see on the Schuylkill as there is on the Delaware (at least not for tourists).— Curmudgeon
- Remeber it was the tug boat fault and not the ducks. Take the tugs off the river ( Delaware ) not the "duck". But you people want to blame the duck and not the barge's crew— abbe
- I want to congratulate the people who voiced their concerns, consistently, and with increasing volume. I also want to give some credit to the city officials who UNAMIMOUSLY rejected the proposal. It's uplifting to feel the government can make good decisions. The last thing Philadelphia needed, riding down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, heading into the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Perelman Center, and the soon to be Barnes Foundation, was a duckboat load of quackers.— PLShihadeh
- whats the big deal? how many people who complained like the money that these tourists bring to the city?— theeman1
- I LIKE THAT MONEY but not in MY NEIGHBORHOOD! — FairmountFrank
- Thanks to Mayor Nutter and anyone else responsible for this decision! We can continue to enjoy the Schuylkill River Banks, a wonderful part of our neighborhood!— Randy Dobin
- It's the moment to congratulate all those who had a role in letting public opinion prevail. It's the eternal struggle, and it's good to see a victory every now and then.— DonQ
- Mongo will probably sue them anyway for some invented claim.— Equality 7-2521
- Move the DUCK TOURS TO TH E MANAYUNK canal or to SOUTHERN new jersey! GET THOSE CROOKS OUTTA here— FairmountFrank
- I liked the Duck Boat Tour. Several of my out of town guests enjoyed it. I think the tours should be allowed on the Delaware River with updated safety standards.
- Comment removed.
- Who are you to decide what people should like or not? — mica0406
- Finally good news - thank you for Mr. Mayor helping preserve the quality of life of Philadelphia!— Friend of Fily
- Can't imagine anyone other than the operators being disappointed with this.— spider9
- Hate the Duck Boats...— Russ
- Thank you for making a sound decision here , Mr. Mayor.— slanted and enchanted
- THANK GOD— cmccdin
- It's almost surreal to read about such a good decision, especially when it means the city government doesn't grab all the money it can, I guess the voters and environment still matter a little around here.
- Wow, a good decision from city government - someone take a picture!— absherlock
- True! Cynical/jaded me just things the right palms weren't greased. — PotteryPete
Keep them on the Delaware.— jp8899
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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