Jim Colgan/WNYC

NEW YORK, NY March 09, 2005 —The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on the Staten Island ferry crash that killed 11 people nearly a year-and-a-half ago. It says the city and Coast Guard need to make some changes to prevent another accident.

Meanwhile, the City says it's already implemented some of the Board's proposals. WNYC's Richard Hake has more.

A safety management system, a new organizational structure and global positioning technology. Those are some of the updates to the boats that the city has been running across the harbor for nearly 100 years.

The DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall says further improvements will be made. The NTSB's final report said ferry employee health evaluations should be monitored by the coast guard every year, instead of every five years.

The Coast Guard says the proposed changes would require intense efforts and it's too soon to determine if they can be made. The pilot of the boat that crashed admitted to taking prescription drugs which possibly led him to black out at the helm.

Eleven people were killed and 70 injured. Criminal and civil charges are still pending.