Founder and Managing Partner
SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Board of Directors adopted the agency’s 2050 Service Vision, committing to enhance, expand and electrify regional water transit over the next 25 years.
“SF Bay Ferry has successfully delivered the region’s fastest-growing and most highly-rated regional transit service, so it’s no surprise to see that there is strong interest in the expansion of the network,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of the agency’s Board of Directors. “This Service Vision is a reflection of that interest, and of our commitment to aggressively pursue a new golden age of ferries in the Bay Area, where this world-class system is made even better, and is available to even more communities and more riders throughout the region.”
The 2050 Service Vision and Expansion Policy adopted today sets standards for enhancement and expansion of existing ferry service. The agency currently operates in Alameda, Oakland, Richmond, San Francisco, South San Francisco and Vallejo. Under this policy, the agency would seek enhancement on growing existing services.
Four new proposed services are identified as near-term Tier 1 expansion opportunities:
Berkeley Mission Bay (San Francisco) Redwood City Treasure Island (San Francisco)
Tier 2 expansion opportunities identified for further exploration include:
Carquinez Strait communities such as Martinez, Pittsburg and Antioch Hercules Direct East Bay-Marin County service Foster City Additional routes serving South San Francisco Frequent service between Alameda and Oakland
The proposed expansion would further extend the agency’s critical emergency water transit capabilities.
The policy also commits the agency to developing a Pilot Service Program to help assess new markets and technology for opportunities that do not yet meet expansion criteria.
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The agency continues to make progress on its Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program, having secured more than $117 million to electrify its ferry service. The 2050 Service Vision commits the agency to focus on adding zero-emission vessels to its fleet through new construction and conversion of existing vessels, when feasible.
SF Bay Ferry currently operates the cleanest ferry system in the country with a 17-vessel fleet powered by renewable diesel. Thirteen of those vessels meet the strictest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions levels. The agency is on track to award shipyard contracts for its first five zero-emission battery electric vessels later this year.
Editors Note:
For more on the 2050 Service Plan, click here. According to their website, WETA held a public Board of Directors workshop on the 2050 Service Vision in April. The service vision evaluation memo and presentation slides are now available.
Per the presentation: The Coverage Network would expand upon the Plan Bay Area Network emphasizing new connections across the region. It would add 12 terminals and 14 routes or more to the Plan Bay Area Network, including routes to San Francisco from Benicia, Antioch, Hercules, San Leandro, and San Jose, as well as routes between San Leandro-Foster City/Redwood City, Union City-Foster City, San Leandro/Union City-Mountain View, Oakland-San Jose, and Vallejo-Oakland.
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