Beginning Monday, August 19, Shepler Ferry Service will begin operating a new, faster schedule to and from Mackinac Island.

On that day, Shepler’s will become the sole ferry fleet for transportation to the island after its sister company, the Mackinac Island Ferry Company (MIFC), requested that all passenger service be temporarily suspended until October 31 while its team works on major mechanical repairs to the boats.

The Mackinac Island City Council, which sets ferry fares and signs the island’s transportation contracts, voted to temporarily suspend MIFC at a special meeting this week. The ferry company’s new owners have shut down most of their boats in recent weeks, saying more than $4 million worth of repairs are needed.

Shepler’s – owned by the same private equity firm as MIFC – has stepped in to fill the gap. Starting Monday, Shepler’s ferry schedule will include fast turnaround departures to the Mackinaw City and St. Ignace piers. This will also apply to ferry departures from Mackinac Island.

The new schedules were approved by the city council this week.

Departures are scheduled every 15 minutes from Shepler’s docks on the mainland and on the island between approximately 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. This time slot is usually the busiest, as the majority of visitors are on their way to or from the island.

Heading to Mackinac Island? You can purchase Shepler’s tickets online here or at the Shepler’s docks.

Here is the departure schedule to and from Mackinaw City. To see it online, check out the Shepler schedule here.

The blue-marked departures are the Mighty Mac trips, which normally travel under the Mackinac Bridge with a little history of the bridge. These detours under the bridge may be canceled on some days depending on passenger volume and schedule, ferry officials said.

Here is the Shepler schedule to and from St. Ignace. To view it online, visit the Shepler website here.

Both ferry companies are operated by Hoffmann Marine, a branch of Florida-based The Hoffmann Family of Companies. The holding company, which also owns boat fleets in other states, acquired a majority stake in Shepler’s in 2022. In late June, it bought MIFC, formerly known as Star Line. It also bought the region’s small newspapers and the island’s cruise ship company Sip n’ Sail.

When the temporary closure of MIFC passenger service made headlines this week, Mackinac Island businesses joined forces to spread the word that there is an easy way to get to the island from now through the end of October: take one of Shepler’s ferries.

“Rest assured, ferries are still operating from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City and your trip to Mackinac Island awaits you,” Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau officials said in a message shared on social media.

Chris Shepler, who has been managing the day-to-day operations of both ferry fleets in recent weeks, said the new owners would work to ensure the MIFC boats are 100% operational before returning to service.

Hoffmann posted several statements on social media on Monday morning ahead of the move, which is intended exclusively for Shepler’s.

“Hoffmann Marine is investing $4 million in the Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry (MIFC) fleet to ensure safe and reliable service,” the company said this week. “As a result, beginning August 19, 2024 through the end of the 2024 summer season (October 31, 2024), all MIFC boats will be taken offline for upgrades and Shepler’s will take over all passenger ferry services for visitors to Mackinac Island.”

“You need to know:

• The MIFC/Star Line docks will be closed and Shepler’s will handle all passenger ferry traffic.
• All pre-purchased MIFC tickets will be honored by Shepler’s for the remainder of the 2024 summer season. Guests may exchange these tickets at our Shepler’s ticket counters.
• All guests will use Shepler’s parking lot and proceed to Shepler’s docks for boarding.
• Shepler’s will accept tickets purchased through hotels or third-party vendors through August 31, 2024. After that, guests may request a refund through the hotel or third-party vendor where they purchased the tickets.
• Repairs to the MIFC fleet are expected to be completed by next spring and it will be operational for the 2025 summer season.”

“On behalf of the entire Hoffmann Marine team and the Hoffmann Family of Companies, we want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding during this important transition,” said Jenny Gezella, President of Hoffmann Marine, in a statement posted online. “We are 100% committed to reinvesting in MIFC, its assets and its team to ensure a safe, enjoyable and reliable trip for all of our guests traveling to Mackinac Island. We are determined to get it right for the opening of the 2025 season and for years to come.”