San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority News

Water Emergency Transportation Authority Awards Ferry Operating Contract to Blue & Gold Fleet. At its October 6 Board of Directors meeting, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) awarded Blue & Gold Fleet ("B&GF") a five-year contract for the operation of WETA's San Francisco Bay Ferry services. San Francisco Bay Ferry, which recently assumed operation of the Alameda/Oakland and Harbor Bay Ferries, provides daily commute and excursion service between Alameda, Oakland, San Francisco, and Harbor Bay. In early 2012, San Francisco Bay Ferry plans to launch new ferry service between South San Francisco and the East Bay and to assume operation of the City of Vallejo's Baylink ferry operating between Vallejo and San Francisco.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority ordered two more passenger ferries, continuing its mission of expanding ferry service in the San Francisco Bay area, using ferries that are 10 times cleaner than the existing vessels in the bay. The new ferries, each with a capacity of 199 passengers and capable of speeds up to 25 knots will be built by Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. in Seattle Washington. In the past year, WTA has awarded four new vessel contracts, more than have been built for the Bay Area in the previous 10 years. Charlene Haught-Johnson, President of the WTA Board of Directors, is pleased with WTA’s progress. “We already have two vessels under construction in Seattle, Washington that are planned for late 2008 delivery.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA), a regional transit agency, announced that Governor Davis signed Senate Bill (SB) 915 (D-Perata, Oakland) giving the WTA the green light to develop seven new Bay Area ferry routes, expand existing ferry routes, and build 31 new boats. The new law, signed on October 10, 2003, makes the WTA a permanent transit agency. The WTA is authorized to operate a comprehensive San Francisco Bay area regional public water transit system. “We are on the brink of a new and exciting future for ferries on San Francisco Bay. The State’s approval is a significant step towards delivering more boats, new routes and good landside connections,” said Charlene Haught Johnson, President, WTA Board of Directors. “We thank the Governor and Legislature.

On October 30, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority Board of Directors appointed Steve Castleberry as the WTA’s new Chief Executive Officer. He will take the helm on January 1, 2004. Castleberry has been serving as the WTA’s manager of System Planning since shortly after the inception of the organization. Prior to joining the WTA, he served as deputy director of the Alameda County Transportation Authority. (ACTA) As Chief Executive, Castleberry will be responsible for implementing the ferry expansion plan recently approved by the California State Legislature.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) announced that the recently signed Senate Bill (SB) 915 (D-Perata, Oakland) gives it the go ahead to develop seven new Bay Area ferry routes, expand existing ferry routes, and build 31 new boats. Signed October 10, 2003, the bill makes the WTA a permanent transit agency. "We are on the brink of a new and exciting future for ferries on San Francisco Bay. The State's approval is a significant step towards delivering more boats, new routes and good landside connections," said Charlene Haught Johnson, President, WTA Board of Directors. "We thank the Governor and Legislature. This new law brings to fruition the work of hundreds of people who've advocated for enhancing our region's public transit system with water-transit," added Ms.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today announced the appointment of the following individuals to serve on the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee. "On behalf of Secretary Ridge, I am delighted to welcome these advisors to our team," said Admiral Thomas H. Collins, commandant of the Coast Guard. The advisory committee has been established to provide advice to the Department of Homeland Security via the U.S. Coast Guard on matters such as national maritime security strategy and policy, actions required to meet current and future security threats, international cooperation on security issues, and security concerns of the maritime transportation industry as mandated by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. Joseph H. Thomas E. John C.

process for its first two ferryboats. capacity. various WTA service routes. sonar to minimize any possibility of a whale strike. passengers and more than 25 bikes.

Ferry service between South San Francisco and Oakland just moved one step closer to reality. The Board of Directors of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority (WTA) approved construction phasing plans for the South Francisco Ferry Terminal at Oyster Point, contingent upon successful lease negotiations with the property owner (the San Mateo County Harbor District). If all goes according to plan, construction could start as early as this Fall. To expedite construction and maximize contractor participation, the WTA would build the terminal in two construction packages: One covering the float and gangway and another for the terminal. Award of the float construction contract is scheduled for this November. It will be built off-site and delivered to Oyster Point in September 2008.

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority is starting to build boats, issuing a Letter of Intent to Award a contract to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders to construct two new 149 passenger vessels. Vessel construction will start this summer, and the first boats will be delivered by 2007. “We’re proud to be leading the way with regional ferry service,” says Charlene Haught-Johnson, chair of the Board of Directors of the Authority. “We’ve promised to deliver a reliable, cost-effective, convenient and environmentally friendly water transit system. These boats are the first of 10 new boats that the Authority expects to build over the next 10 years. Mary Frances Culnane, the Authority’s Manager of Marine Engineering, will manage the construction contract for the Authority.

Under a plan spelled out in SB 428, by state Senator Don Perata (D-Alameda), a new panel will be created to oversee the development of a proposed network of high-speed ferries serving the entire San Francisco Bay Area. The new panel will be called the San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority. Governor Gray Davis signed the bill last year, giving the Transit Authority the go-ahead to prepare a detailed plan for expanding ferry services in the San Francisco Bay Area for the legislature's approval. The authority's 11-member board will be made up of local elected officials, environmentalists, business leaders and transportation experts; four appointed by the Governor and two each appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Assembly Committee on Rules.