Over the years this column has touched on many aspects of the maritime industry here in the San Francisco Bay Area, providing answers to questions you might not have known you had.
Thomas Hall is the public information and marketing manager for WETA, the agency that runs the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. He is also a regular ferry passenger himself. Photo by Joel Williams
BY MATT LARSON
Published: January, 2019
Over the years this column has touched on many aspects of the maritime industry here in the San Francisco Bay Area, providing answers to questions you might not have known you had. Life on the water is fascinating and complex, as we’ve learned from many profiles of people with connections to Bay Area ferries.
Starting with this issue, we’re going interactive! If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. See the Ferry Q&A on page 11 for more.
To answer the questions we get, we’ll be featuring two carefully selected maritime professionals. One is a name you may recognize: Priya Clemens, director of public affairs for Golden Gate Transit, who was featured in our June 2018 issue. The other is Thomas Hall, public information and marketing manager for WETA, the agency that runs the San Francisco Bay Ferry system.
Hall and Clemens get a lot of questions, so it was only fitting to create a column where they can provide answers to some of the more common ones they receive, sharing their unique insights.
Common questions are often in regards to expansion plans, and why some cities do or don’t have a terminal to call their own. “We have gotten some questions about running ferry service to landlocked cities, which is always amusing to try to find a diplomatic answer to,” Hall laughed. “But one of the more interesting questions I got recently was from someone who wanted to know how our ferry pilots can see small boats.”
Especially considering the heavy fog that occurs on a regular basis, this is a very fair question. He answered: “There are technologies that boost the radar for small boats; we also publish and stick to our routes and ferry channels, so we advise all mariners to heed that and be familiar with the ferry schedule so they know when ferries may be crossing.” (This is a little sneak peek for what you can expect in our new column, which Hall is very much looking forward to.)
“Every day brings a new opportunity to communicate our message,” he said. “We definitely seek to debunk any myth that may be out there and really just make the service more visible to the public and more pleasant for the passengers who ride it.”
Ferry service in the Bay Area is expanding every day. As of this month you can hop on a ferry for the first time in Richmond at WETA’s brand-new East Bay Terminal, and you may be noticing some newer boats as well.
As a regular ferry passenger himself, Hall has especially grown fond of the new Hydrus class boats that came into circulation in 2017. “I’ve become a huge fan of the outer decks on the Hydrus class of vessels, primarily focused on the Oakland and Alameda service,” he said. “On a nice day, being able to sit out on the back deck of the Hydrus, under the sun at the end of a long work day—it really can’t be beat in terms of commutes.”
There are currently three Hydrus class boats in operation—Hydrus, Argo and Cetus—with a fourth, Carina, set to launch in early 2019. Also in early 2019 you can look forward to the Pyxis, primarily serving the Vallejo route, with more Pyxis class vessels to come. To date, the Hydrus class boats are WETA’s highest capacity vessels, with space for up to 400 passengers. The iconic Encinal, its oldest boat, has a similar capacity but is nearing retirement. With more boats, terminals and technological advancements ahead, there is much to look forward to.
Hall enjoys his job. “I’ve been a transit rider most of my life, so being able to talk to folks about their experiences on the ferry and how we could get more people to ride in the future is definitely rewarding,” Hall said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what questions people have, and being able to help answer those by talking to the folks who work on the ferries, developing the system of tomorrow.”
So get your questions ready, and see what Hall and Clemens have to say. For details on how to submit your own questions, visit the new column on page 11.
