The first end-to-end ferry will take to the waves on May 5 -- after last year's trial run was hailed a success.

The news was disclosed to The Royal Gazette by director of Marine and Ports Mr. Ron Ross.

But yesterday the leader of a taxi drivers' union reacted angrily over the proposed Dockyard-St. George's service.

Mr. Wendell Tucker said drivers, worried about their business being hit, had not been told about the plan.

And he called on the Transport Ministry to meet with drivers.

"It does not hurt to communicate,'' said Mr. Tucker, president of the Bermuda Taxi Owners Union.

Mr. Tucker said his union had not been given any facts about last year's trial run.

"We have no idea whether it was a success or failure.'' During the trial, the ferry made four journeys between the two stops.

Each ride started at 9 a.m., and lasted about an hour and 15 minutes.

Mr. Ross said people would again be able to buy transport passes to use this year's ferry service.

The passes would also be eligible for travel on buses, although full details of the service would be announced later.

Mr. Ross said the service would run until the end of the cruise ship season.

Last year, taxi drivers expressed reservations about the service.

At the time, taxi operator Mr. Oliver Casey of Bermuda Taxi Services favoured a "wait-and-see attitude.'' Yesterday Mr. Casey said he had received positive and negative feedback among taxi drivers over the service.

Organised tours between the two ends of the Island in which visitors travelled one way by cab and the other by ferry could benefit the taxi business, he said. But concerns remained that taxis could lose business to buses.

Mr. Tucker said drivers' anxieties had not been allayed at all, and described as "pie in the sky'' talk about organised tours.

"We have not been made aware of them,'' he said.

Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess has repeatedly reassured taxi drivers the service would not hit their business.

And he declared last year's trial a success.

Mr. Burgess pointed out many passengers last year opted to take the ferry to Dockyard, and got "the best of both worlds'' when they took taxis back to St.

George's.

"The ferry service complements the taxi business,'' he said.

The new service is being introduced to cater to visitors to St. George's from the old town's new cruise ship.