Crucial money that could be used to provide ferry service to Sandy Island Ferry has been approved.

Officials from the S.C. Department of Transportation learned Friday that a $100,000 grant was approved, said economic development manager Brenda Perryman.

The stimulus money comes at a time when a small committee is trying to find a way to run a ferry boat to and from the island.

Islanders have been asking for ferry service for more than 30 years.

“I’m excited,’’ said Myers Rollins, director of Coast Rapid Transit Authority. “This is huge. We haven’t had a funding source.’’

A contract must now be submitted by Coast RTA to say how the money will be used, Perryman said. If the DOT approves the contract, the money could be granted.

RTA officials said Friday they could ask to use the money for purchasing a boat, rather than spending it on operating costs.

A matching grant from local sources is also needed before the grant is given, Rollins said.

Committee meeting

The committee trying to work out details of a ferry service to Sandy Island met for several hours Friday afternoon.

The committee heard from officials at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources about the requirements for the boat captain, if the boat carries more than six people.

A two-vehicle ferry capable of carrying six passengers will be considered an uninspected vessel, said DNR official Bob Perry.

A boat that carries more than six passengers would require the pilot  have a captain’s license and a master’s certification.

The boat carrying more passengers would also need a first mate and possibly an engineer, Perry said.

Perry said some short-term solutions include working with the local school district, to expand the availability of the school bus boat.

Running the current school bus boat at four trips per day, 362 days per year, will cost about $263,000, Rollins said.

The boat now takes limited trips, carrying about 21 school children back and forth to the Island. It costs about $27,470 per year for that service, Rollins said.

   Officials with Coast RTA say the budget for future service could depend on how many times the boat crosses over to Sandy Island per week.

First effort for bids

The first effort to receive bids asked for input  from captains who were interested in having the job, Rollins said.

Three people came forward, but only one person submitted an actual bid to run the ferry service.

That bid was not accepted.

The process could be different now, since Rollins expect that prospective captains will be allowed to ask questions and receive more information before they bid on the job.

A pre-bid conference was not part of the search procedure last time, Rollins said.

There is some feeling that the school district does not want to lose the current school bus boat.

District officials said they are concerned that federal funding will vanish for a replacement ferry boat — leaving them with no transportation for school children.