Tom Cooper is finally where he wants to be: back at the helm of his Chicago Water Taxi, waving back at the people who wave at him from the shore.
“Whenever you’re on a boat, I don’t know what it is, but everybody waves, and people on board feel obligated to wave back,” Cooper said with a laugh.
The water taxi — which began operating last week after a winter hiatus — seems to make people happy. Maybe it’s the view.
So far, 3,213 passengers have enjoyed it since two of the yellow water taxis went into service March 31. That’s about a third more people than rode the two taxis during their first week on the river last year in mid-April.
Andrew Sargis, chief of operations for the company, attributes the bump to a combination of good weather and overlapping spring break.
Passengers looked up at the buildings, stared at the water or closed their eyes for a quick nap Tuesday during a ride from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Michigan Avenue.
“In my opinion this is the best-kept secret in Chicago,” said Todd Price, 44, who lives in Crystal Lake, works for a downtown tech startup and sat in the open-air bow of the boat. “It’s basically like the architectural tour without someone talking.”
For some, a $3 one-way ride is a peaceful break in an otherwise hectic day — and beats the heck out of riding a bus.
“The water taxi is a wonderful alternative to the stupid CTA,” said Catherine Cioffi, 65, who works as a law firm secretary and lives in Naperville. “I like that it’s so calm and quiet, and you see something different and you get the sound of the water and wild birds in the area, I love it.”
Cooper, who’s been a water taxi captain for 11 years and works as a rope tow operator at a ski facility in west suburban Bartlett in the winter, agreed.
“This time of year, soon you’ll be seeing all the spring chicks — ducklings following their mother across the water,” Cooper said. “You get near them, and they jump up on the water and actually like to run across the water, it’s so cool.”
Also seen along the river: coyote, beaver, great blue heron and a homeless encampment along the shore near Roosevelt Road.
Sargis has high hopes for this season’s attendance.
Last year the Polar Vortex left behind a layer of ice 2 feet thick that delayed the iconic yellow water taxis from getting to the Chicago River from their winter storage facility off the Cal-Sag Channel by several weeks.
The company currently operates two boats that offer service downtown. Another two boats will go into service around Memorial Day that will transport people as far north as North Avenue and as far south as Chinatown.
Current service is only Monday through Friday. Weekends will be added April 18, Sargis said.
The company generally shuts down the day after Thanksgiving.
Last year, Chicago Water Taxi gave about 320,000 rides.
