WTA Seeks South San Francisco and Brisbane Ferry Customers Before Day One of Service!

On February 8, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) hosted transit managers from South San Francisco and Brisbane to lunch at Dominic’s at the Oyster Point banquet facility in South San Francisco. Nearly fifty guests, spanning small businesses to corporations, policy-makers, and city planners, including representatives from biotech and hospitality industries, came out to hear about and offer input on the WTA’s plans for new ferry service between South San Francisco and the East Bay. Mayors Ray Green, South San Francisco, and Sepi Richardson, Brisbane, welcomed the crowd with some inspirational words on future South San Francisco ferry service.

Employers are eager to get information to their employees, many of whom are frustrated commuters battling their way from homes in the East Bay to the Peninsula for work. Ferry service between those two points will provide pleasant and direct commute options. New transit options such as ferry service support continued economic growth of the “Biotechnology Capital of the World,” along with other SSF companies such as Hitachi, Toshiba, and UPS. Genentech alone employs approximately 5,500 employees, making it the largest SSF employer. Hotels and convention facilities in both Brisbane and South San Francisco with close proximity to the airport are also interested in new ferry service that will allow their guests to bypass the traffic on Highway 101 into downtown San Francisco.
 

Making Ferries Real in South San Francisco
At the luncheon, Steve Castleberry, WTA’s CEO, said, “The WTA has a unique opportunity to design this new service in ways that are convenient and will lure your employees out of their cars and on to South San Francisco bound ferries. What better way to do this than by going directly to you, the employers, and helping us communicate with our future riders.”

Mr. Castleberry explained that Regional Measure 2, the increase in state-owned bridge tolls, ensured most of the funding needed for new ferry service to South San Francisco by providing $12 million for constructing vessels and $3 million per year in operating subsidy. In addition, U.S. Representative Tom Lantos has obtained $2 million in Federal grants for vessels and is working to get $6 million in the pending six-year Federal transportation bill (TEA) for a terminal. San Mateo County voters added $30 million from the recently passed sales tax measure that will be available for operating and capital costs for San Mateo County ferry services.

Barry Nagel, city manager, said, “South San Francisco is supportive of bringing ferries here; the East Bay to South San Francisco connection is especially exciting because many of our workers live in the East Bay and otherwise have a lengthy commute. The timing is particularly good–there is a myriad of possibilities with a redevelopment process just beginning along the shoreline. It’s the perfect place to bring a quality package to the area.”
 

SSF and Brisbane Businesses Eager for New Commute Options

The WTA recently hired the Johnson/Ukropina (J/U) firm as their marketing consultants to help build ferry ridership. J/U marketing manager Robbynn Lystrup facilitated an open discussion seeking input from employers about how to design the ferry service and how to inform employees about the available service. Ms. Lystrup said, “There is a vast rider potential held in the hand of employers. How can you help us to get them on our boats, and, conversely, what’s the best way for us to

communicate the opportunity as a win-win?”
Several hands shot up in response about how the WTA can most easily reach employees with new transit information. Sandy O’Toole, executive director South San Francisco Conference Center, responded, “We’d put ferry service right on our web site. The fourth most used page on our web site is the commuter assistance information.”
Jumana Dajani, representing the Better Business Bureau of San Mateo County, offered to publish information in their regular newsletter.

Survey Says
Almost all of the lunch attendees filled out a written survey, created by Johnson/Ukropina, on their employee commuter habits. The 25 responding employers represent 10,500 total San Mateo County employees within close proximity to new South San Francisco ferry service. Most of these employees currently drive to their worksite.

Employers identified the following challenges:

> making landside connections
> getting employees to try the service
> educating employees on the details of service (fare, amenities, how it works)

The biotech industry represented the largest clump of employees, with Genentech leading the pack. There were also hotel and convention and visitors groups and transportation professionals.

Timing is Everything
 

According to the WTA’s recently hired Manager of Planning & Development, John Sindzinski, the WTA is at full throttle in bringing ferry service to South City. Mr. Sindzinski said, “We expect the Environmental Impact Review to be completed by mid-2006. We are also starting terminal design. There will be lots of opportunity for the public to help guide the details of service between now and then.” Updates on the South San Francisco’s planning process can be found on WTA’s web site, www.watertransit.org.

More than half of the survey respondents expressed interest in serving on an advisory group to provide ongoing input on new ferry service. In the coming months, the WTA expects to start this group, with employers and organizations that attended the luncheon. It will also blast employer-hosted e-mails to future customers and pursue other avenues of communication as it continues planning ferry service that South San Francisco and Brisbane commuters will enjoy, and most importantly, will use.