In the era of Homeland Security regulations,
achieving both the safety and the comfort of ferry passengers has
become a challenge. At the Port of San Francisco, the immediate
question is this: How will passengers boarding a ferry from San
Francisco stay dry in the rain if security regulations limit their
access to weather-protected docks to times when the docks are
manned? How can this problem be avoided in building future ferry
terminals?
Ferry Operators Seek Quick Solutions
Vallejo Baylink ferryboats have (regretfully) left customers at the
docks when boats were full to capacity. Nonetheless, Vallejo Mayor
Anthony Intintoli, who also sits on the San Francisco Bay Area Water
Transit Authority (WTA) Board of Directors, said, “I’m concerned
that Vallejo’s ferryboat riders will get discouraged during the
rainy season and that it will take a while to lure passengers back
onboard. Public transit has already suffered an economic downturn.
We can’t afford more bad news.”
Alameda/Oakland Ferry Service (AOFS) and Vallejo’s Baylink, through
their contracts with Blue and Gold Fleet, have instituted a quick
and dirty solution for its passengers by hiring a customer service
representative to hold open the gate and allow passengers to enter
the covered docks prior to boarding.
Jim Swindler, General Manager of Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and
Transit District, said, “Golden Gate Ferry ridership can certainly
drop in inclement weather. One of the benefits that our ferry
terminal has that most other Bay Area operators don’t enjoy is
enclosed passenger waiting areas that can also double as ‘secure
passenger areas.’ We can easily set aside a covered area that allows
passengers to be screened and then proceed to another area of the
terminal that is also under cover.”
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Customer Service
Representative Antonette Sespene brings a smile to WTA
Technical Advisory Committee Chair Mark Kasanin |
Silver Lining in the Clouds
Antonette Sespene is one of two customer service agents at the
Downtown Ferry Terminal gates who let passengers onto the covered
walkways during the evening commute hours. But she doesn’t stop
there. She proudly wears her bright yellow windbreaker with big
letters on the back reading “Guest Assistance” and lives up to its
promise.
She greets passengers with a warm smile and fun
names for ferry routes. “Valley Joe,” she shouts as the Vallejo boat
docks at Gate B. “T-E-A Buron” she announces as the Zelinsky
arrives. When asked about her announcements, she says: “These people
work so hard, I like to see them smile.”
She carefully monitors her wristwatch for the
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Ferry commuters
equipped with umbrellas |
departure time and coaches the passengers. She
reassures them about the time and cautions them to slow down so they
won’t slip. She listens to their complaints about the Ferry Building
clock being two minutes behind. Antonette’s gregarious and nurturing
style has brought a welcomed dimension to a job that was created for
security reasons. She helps ferry passengers begin their pleasant
commute experience from the moment they reach the dock.
Port of San Francisco to the Rescue
When it planned the Ferry Building Marketplace, the Port of San
Francisco planned for alternative dry spots for ferry passengers.
According to Port representatives, Ferry Building leaseholders, such
as restaurants, must comply with a Bay Conservation and Development
Commission (BCDC) rule requiring retail vendors/restaurants to stack
and set aside the outdoor furniture to allow pedestrians or ferry
passengers to use the covered awning area during “umbrella weather.”
But, restaurants along the east side of the building have taken over
the space for tables and chairs that accommodate overflow customers
or customers seeking alfresco dining along the water.
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Tables and chairs
get in the way of ferry passengers lining up underneath
the awning during inclement weather |
BCDC Executive Director Will Travis, who also sits
on the WTA’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), said, “We are all
proud of the renovation of San Francisco’s Ferry Building to its
historic grandeur and the way the building has become an exciting
and beautiful gathering place for food fanatics. But we have to
remember that the building will be little more than another upscale
shopping mall if it does not continue to also be an important
transit terminal. To accomplish this, amenities have to be provided
so ferry passengers can coexist as equals with the shoppers, office
tenants, and other users of the building. Ferry riders need warm,
dry, and comfortable places to wait for boats. They need to be able
to quickly get coffee, newspapers, and snacks. And they need to have
access to clean, comfortable restrooms. The operators of the Ferry
Building are doing a great job of providing these amenities. We’ll
work with them to ensure they continue to do so in the future.”
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Security rules bar
passengers from lining up beneath the covered docks
without supervision |
San Francisco Port Maritime Director Peter Dailey
explained that the Port plans to install a new gate system: a gate
within a gate that will allow passengers to line up under a portion
of the gangway overhang. “We’ve received preliminary USCG approval
for this plan and we’re making some progress for design and
construction. In the meantime, we’ll make sure that the Ferry
Building Marketplace Manager tells the restaurants of our need for
access during the rainy season. We may need to put a sign out
telling the commuters where to line up.” If only the rains could
wait, the new gates should be up and running by next winter.
Comfort and Safety of Future Passengers
On December 3rd, the WTA met with representatives from U.S. Coast
Guard Marine Safety Office San Francisco Bay to discuss future plans
to design and construct additional ferry terminals in the San
Francisco Bay Area. The WTA has proposed adding seven new routes
around the Bay.
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WTA met with Coast
Guard Representatives to discuss future ferry terminal
designs. Shown here: CDR Danny L. Le Blanc (l) and
Marine Science Technician First Class Eric W. Pugh (r) |
Steve Castleberry, WTA’s CEO, said, “Regional
Measure 2 (RM2) recognized the importance in investing in transit
hubs such as the Downtown Ferry Terminal. With new bridge toll
revenues (from this source), there is a valuable opportunity to
improve facilities for existing and future ferry riders. In the next
few months, the WTA, as the recipient of the RM2 funds, will work
with the Port of San Francisco and other stakeholders to develop a
comprehensive plan that will take the Downtown Ferry Terminal
facilities into the next decade. Top priorities include: enhancing
security and passenger comfort and adding docks for new routes. This
plan will address pedestrian access, signage, and other improvements
that will enhance the appeal of the Ferry Building as a destination
for shopping and recreation.”
CDR Danny LeBlanc, Chief of Port Operations, said,
“Partnering with the Coast Guard in the early design stages is
mutually beneficial as it allows the architects/planners to build
both passenger security and comfort needs into the passenger
terminals. We commend the WTA for their initiative and look forward
to our continued partnership as the Coast Guard assists them to
safely expand a vibrant ferry system.”
Apart from ensuring compliance for security
measures, the Coast Guard has provided armed Sea Marshals who
randomly ride along on some ferry trips.