Ferry passengers in North Carolina will now be able to receive text and email alerts about their trip from a new notification system from the N.C. Department of Transportation.

The department announced under the new Ferry Information Notification System, or FINS, travelers can select the route they want to receive alerts for and how they want to get them, according to a press release. Alerts will come directly from the ferry terminals and will announce when a departure is delayed or canceled, delays in departures due to mechanical issues and when services resume, as stated by the N.C. Department of Transportation.

“This is going to be a major benefit for our passengers,” said Ferry Division Director Harold Thomas. “Getting timely information on schedule interruptions will allow ferry riders to make informed decisions on when and where to travel.”

The ferry division has communicated delays and alerts through Twitter, and will continue to do so, but urges travelers to sign up for the FINS system. To sign up, visit www.ncdot.gov/fins and select your preferred method of contact.

FINS is currently in beta testing and is open to users comments and feedback through NCDOTS’s "contact us" application.