More High-Speed Trips Offered on Larkspur Route

Golden Gate Sausalito and Larkspur Ferry (GGF) schedules will change on Thursday, July 1, 2004, saving $875,000 in annual operating cost while preserving virtually the same level of services as presently provided. The new July 1 schedules were developed with extensive public outreach resulting in receipt of 1,100 responses to an aboard survey. The customer input was used to refine the schedules to best match the customer preferences expressed. Public input was also received from GGF’s Ferry Passenger Advisory Committee and from members of the Sausalito business community.

The weekday Larkspur-San Francisco route will be operated almost exclusively with two high-speed catamarans (M.V. Mendocino and M.V. Del Norte) rather than the current three-vessel configuration (two high-speed catamarans plus one Spaulding). One high-ridership afternoon return trip to Larkspur, the 5:20 pm will still be made using a high-capacity Spaulding vessel. The new July vessel configuration preserves 41 of the 42 weekday trips made today. Larkspur weekend service will be operated with one Spaulding-class vessel with minor time adjustments and one less trip.

The weekday and weekend Sausalito-San Francisco route will be operating a Spaulding vessel instead of the now retired M.V. Golden Gate vessel. With the exception of minor schedule adjustments, Sausalito weekday service will still operate 18 crossings (same as currently operated) and weekend service will be provided using one Spaulding vessel with minor schedule adjustments and one additional trip.

The $875,000 in savings comes from a combination of operational efficiencies and adjustments to staffing levels. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (District) acknowledges its appreciation of the cooperation received from the Vessel Masters and Deckhands unions in making difficult decisions key to achieving these savings. As a result of the schedule changes, associated crewing will be reduced by 1 vessel master and 10 deckhands. The Ferry Division currently employs 14 vessel masters and 34 deckhands.

The District is facing a five-year, $131 million projected shortfall. The GGT Bus Division reduced service by 22% in November 2003 saving approximately $13.5 million in annual operating costs. The GGF Division is targeted to reduce its annual operating costs by $1.5 million and the July 1 schedule change was the first step. The $675,000 balance will come from additional cost reduction strategies, focusing on administrative and land-side functional areas.

Complete Golden Gate Ferry schedules are available at www.goldengate.org, by calling 511 or 711 (TDD), or by obtaining the new summer 2004 Golden Gate Bus & Ferry Transit Guide or the new pocket-size ferry schedule available on all ferries.