AMY SZPARA

RESERVE – People relying on ferry transportation between Edgard and Reserve now have four less hours a day to use the boat that gets them back and forth across the river. Because of a reduction in staffing, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development began a permanent change March 12 in the operating hours of the Edgard/Reserve ferry. The old hours of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. have been changed to 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. According to Thomas Buckley, district maintenance engineer for Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the state has experienced a shortage in marine engineers, who take care of all the engines for running the boat They are often opting for the higher pay they can receive in the private industry that is unavailable when working for a state department, Buckley said. “The problem is we only have a couple of marine engineers. If anyone gets sick we have to shut the ferry down,” said Buckley. “We had to chop the 16 hours down to 12.” Buckley attributes the decrease in marine engineer applicants to the growth of the casino boat industry. “When the casino boats came is when we started seeing these problems,” he said. Buckley said the salary a marine engineer can make in the private industry is a lot higher than what he can make working for the Department of Transportation and Development. “It’s hard to hire for the salary they can make in the private industry,” he said. “We’re looking to offer special entrance rates,” he stated, meaning they will be able to hire at the highest bracket level. Buckley added that an advertisement for engineers has been running in the newspapers for some time, but they haven’t received any applicants. Other problems marine engineers working for the ferry system encounter is trouble taking their vacation and sick leave. Now the engineers will work 12-hour shifts, and Buckley said that will help make the lives of the engineers easier, allowing them sick leave. Though some people who commute back and forth between the east and west banks of St. John Parish may be inconvenienced, Buckley said it was the only option they had considering the problem at hand. Until the staffing situation becomes more favorable, late night drivers will have to make the trip across the bridge and go around.