Service Cuts
Continue at the Alameda-Oakland Ferry
Riders were not treated to a Public Utilities
Commission hearing on the discontinuance of the Alameda-Oakland
Ferry, as the parties agreed to a cost plus contract for the next
year. In attempting to cut costs for this new contract that
technically goes into effect on February 1, 2003, the service has
decided to eliminate all weekend runs in January and February.
Inexplicably, they have also decided to eliminate all service on
President’s Day, Monday, February 17, 2003.
However, the service’s web site fails to note
that the deckhands will be reduced from three to two. This has a
practical effect of limiting the number of riders per trip to 200,
under Coast Guard regulations. Historically, whenever there is a
problem on the bridge, ridership zooms past this level. For example,
on December 12, 2002, a day with bridge problems, ridership was 240
on the 7:15 a.m. from Alameda. The 8:20 a.m. from Alameda on the
same day had 205 passengers.
Under the new regime, it is expected that the
first come, first served passengers could leave as many as 40 or
more regular commuters standing at the dock, as capacity is reached
under the Coast Guard mandated levels. Riders should be aware of
this change so they can plan accordingly.
