On August 20, San Francisco Bay Ferry welcomed its latest new ferry, Vela, to Mare Island.
Photo courtesy of WETA
Published: September, 2019
On August 20, San Francisco Bay Ferry welcomed its latest new ferry, Vela, to Mare Island. Vela is the second of three Pyxis-class vessels being built by Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington for the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). These high-speed, 445-passenger vessels are designed specifically for servicing the 60-minute Vallejo ferry route.
Vela is undergoing final sea trials overseen by the U.S. Coast Guard and is expected to begin service by Labor Day. The new, jet-propulsion vessel will most significantly help in handling the increasing peak commute loads to and from Vallejo as well as the packed Saturday and Sunday morning runs. Expect to see her on the crowded 7 a.m. Vallejo departure and the 5:30 p.m. San Francisco return trip on weekdays.
Vela is the sixth new ferry WETA has added to its San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet since 2017. Vela was designed and built at a cost of $23 million. Funding sources included Federal Transit Administration grants, bridge toll revenue, State Proposition 1B and State Transit Assistance. The final Pyxis-class vessel, Lyra, is excepted to arrive in the Bay Area in early 2020.
