N.C. ferry schedule changes next month

Raleigh, N.C. — If you're planning to visit the Outer Banks this summer, be sure to review the new ferry schedule.

The U.S. Coast Guard is requiring North Carolina to add crew members to each vessel so employees do not work longer than a 12-hour day. As a result, the state is eliminating runs from five of the seven routes.

The routes not affected are from Currituck to Knotts Island and Hatteras to Ocracoke Island.

The Ferry Division of the North Carolina Department of Transportation said eliminating routes was the only option in light of a hiring freeze and statewide budget cuts.

"This was something that was not done lightly or by choice," Lucy Wallace, a communications officer for the Ferry Division, said.

The new schedule is effective April 14.