Mackinac Island Ferry Co. halts service amid concerns
Shepler’s works to absorb St. Ignace passenger load
The Mackinac Island Ferry Co., known by locals as Star Line, suspended service to St. Ignace, Michigan last week and halted service altogether this week, sources told Shifting Gears on Friday.
During this interim period, Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry has stepped up to provide passenger service to islanders and visitors.
“Shepler’s Ferry is committed to ensuring our guests get to and from the island and are doing so in an efficient matter this season. They have implemented changes including increasing the cadence of their departures to every 15 minutes during peak times and the guest lines are very similar to the volume we typically see this time of year,” said a statement provided to Shifting Gears on Friday by Chris Shepler, president of both Shepler’s Ferry and the Mackinac Island Ferry Co.
The ferry services, which are owned by the same company, shuttle approximately 1.2 million visitors annually, based on Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau estimates.
Mackinac Island is a global destination for travelers who bike, walk or ride horse-and-buggy taxis because cars are banned.
“With all the national recognition lately, including top summer destination honors from USA Today readers two years in a row, we’re seeing visitors coming from further and further away,” Tim Hygh, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, told Shifting Gears.
Disruption follows recent sale
In June, the Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Co. sold to the Hoffmann Family of Companies, led by patriarch David Hoffmann, of Naples, Florida.
Shepler’s sold to the Hoffmann Family of Companies in 2022. Chris Shepler, whose grandfather founded the ferry service, has run the company for more than a decade. His leadership has continued since the sale.
“The Hoffmann and Shepler families decided it’s in the best interest and safety of all passengers and crew that they take the time and take the boats off the run to get them up to the standards of those operations that the Hoffmanns have, and fix them so they're not in a condition where they feel they may break down,” Veronica Dobrowolski, co-owner of Arnold Freight Co. on Mackinac Island, told Shifting Gears.
The Shepler’s crew is working hard to provide quality service, she said. “The wait may be a little longer but they’re taking care (of things).”
Shepler’s is fully staffed and working to make transportation to St. Ignace as seamless as possible, Dobrowolski said.
In addition, Arnold Freight started picking up freight in Mackinaw City on Monday, July 29 that normally would be transported by the Mackinac Island Ferry Co., she said.
The total number of boats taken out of service was not immediately available. Chris Shepler was in meetings to address the matter.
‘A few bumps’
“There's a few bumps everybody is going to go through this season, but the Hoffmanns and Sheplers are doing the right thing fixing these boats so they’re reliable and can accommodate passengers without any issues in the future,” she said. “I'm confident that the Hoffmanns and Shepler’s will take care of people in the future as they alway have. I spent 23 years at Shepler’s. I know their standards.”
A person who answered the phone at the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce said they didn’t have any additional details.
St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce shared on its Facebook page a post from Shepler’s Ferry that its popular “Mighty Mac” departures from St. Ignace would not be running for the “foreseeable future.” These are regularly priced departures, popular for taking pictures, travel under the Mackinac Bridge with a narrated tour.
The reason cited: High volume of guests during peak season.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” the Shepler’s post said.
Every 15 minutes
On Friday, the local tourism bureau notified island businesses that Shepler’s would be running ferries from Mackinac Island to Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, as needed, every 15 minutes. Continues shuttle service will also be available between Shepler’s Ferry and Mackinac Island Ferry Co. parking lots, the notice said.
In June 2024, when Hoffmann purchased the Mackinac Island Ferry Co., the jobs of all 200 employees remained secure, said Jenny Gezella, president of Hoffmann Marine, which includes Shepler’s and Sip n’ Sail Cruises on Mackinac Island.
"We're looking forward to ensuring a first-class and efficient ride to and from the island. All pricing is under a licensing agreement,” she said. “All the pricing will stay the same."
Since buying Shepler's in 2022, an estimated $1.3 million in updates have been completed on five ferry engines, and that kind of investment will continue, said Gezella, who flew to Michigan to handle details of the latest acquisition.
A history of equipment problems
Starline service has been disrupted by equipment problems, including this season, which has been an ongoing cause for concern among island leaders. Issues have included loss of propulsion and steering failure, according to U.S. Coast Guard records.
In June 2024, Bart Berkshire, front manager of the Chippewa Hotel, home of the Pink Pony bar, said, "The Hoffmann family has been doing a great job continuing the Shepler’s Ferry legacy. I can’t wait to see how they will improve the passenger ferries to and from Mackinac Island."
Note: Phoebe Wall Howard covered Mackinac Island for The Detroit Free Press for nearly seven years, both tourism and sailboat races.
PS: As a former political reporter at The Des Moines Register and a guest lecturer at the annual Okoboji Writers Retreat in Iowa, I’m grateful to be part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. See below for a collection of smart, funny and fabulous work by good people.