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WTA Seeks South San Francisco and Brisbane
Ferry Customers Before Day One of Service!
![](images/SSFsitewestall.jpg) |
On January
10, 2005, Fortune Magazine named SSF’s Genentech
one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For for
the seventh consecutive year |
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.
![](images/RichardsonANDNagel.jpg) |
Brisbane Mayor Sepi Richardson
and South San Francisco City Manager Barry Nagel
helped kick-off the Transit Manager’s Luncheon
|
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.”
![](images/SSFDoubleHelixSigncrop.jpg) |
South San
Francisco Biotech workers who live in the East
Bay will soon have an easier commute to work |
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.”
Some SSF
and Brisbane Employers that are Interested in
New Ferry Service Better
Business Bureau of San Mateo County
Best Design and Construction Co.
BiRite Foodservice Distributors
Britannia Management Co.
Building/Construction Trades
Computer and Business Printing
Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott
Earth Tech, Inc.
Genentech, Inc.
Haas Industries
Holiday Inn & Four Points SSF
Inn at Oyster Point
Marketing Consultants
Makin’ Waves in South City
Oyster Point Marina Plaza
Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief ALLIANCE
Rigel Pharmaceuticals
San Mateo Co. Convention and Visitors Bureau
SAMCEDA
Seton Medical Center
South San Francisco Conference Center
South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
|
SSF and Brisbane Businesses Eager for
New Commute Options
![](images/RobbynProfile.jpg) |
Robbynn
Lystrup, Marketing Manager for Johnson/Ukropina
marketing firm, facilitated the interactive
portion of the Transit Managers’ Luncheon at
Dominic’s at Oyster Point |
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
|
The WTA’s recently hired
Manager of Planning & Development, John
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
. |
|
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
![](images/LaurieANDSandracroped.jpg) |
Laurie
Massetti, SSF Chamber of Commerce, and Sandra
O’Toole, Executive Director South San Francisco
Conference Center, shared some good ideas on
marketing ferry service to South City and
Brisbane employees |
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.
![](images/hitachiEcker.jpg) |
WTA reached out to employers
spanning the South San Francisco and Brisbane
shoreline, including Hitachi, shown here, whose
employees are future ferry riders |
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.
If things go according to plan, the WTA may
be conducting surveys onboard its boats as early as 2008 to
ask “How are we doing?”