The East River Ferry is proving to be so popular with commuters that city officials are now seeking a long-term operator after the ferry's current contract expires in June 2014.

The service started running in June 2011 as a three-year pilot program.

Since then, it has served over 1.5 million passengers, which is more than double initial projections.

The ferry was also one of the first mass transit options to reopen after Hurricane Sandy.