Thursday hearing set for Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry jump-start bill - Galveston, TX
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Max and 99
N 29° 19.670 W 094° 46.389
15R E 327828 N 3245612
A new bill will help vehicles stranded on the Galveston ferries. The photo accompanying this article shows the Esperanza Ferry.
Waymark Code: WM1C7EF
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/24/2025
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Article text:
The Texas House Transportation Committee will hold a public hearing Thursday morning on House Bill 787, which would allow travelers to jump start their vehicles on the Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry.
The bill sponsored by state Rep. Terri Leo Wilson would authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to provide battery service to a vehicle transported on the Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry and authorizing a fee for the service.
Vehicles occasionally get stranded on the ferries because of dead or weak batteries and current regulations require them to be pushed or pulled off, causing delays.
Leo Wilson’s bill would, at the driver’s request, allow a qualified ferry employee to attempt to restart the battery so long as the employee is properly trained and has confirmed the absence of hazardous gas.
“This was an issue we have been engaged with State Representative Terri Leo Wilson on,” said Danny Perez, Texas Department of Transportation spokesman. “She brought it to our attention, and we have revisited our policy. Our agency is always looking at ways on how we can make improvements.”
An effort to reach Leo Wilson for comment was unsuccessful.
In an email to constituents she wrote, “If you’ve ever experienced a dead battery while riding the ferry, you know how frustrating and inconvenient it can be. HB 787 will ensure stranded motorists have access to a quick solution — helping to keep ferry operations running smoothly.”
Electronic public comments on the bill can be submitted to (
visit link) The hearing is set for 8 a.m.