Ridership Spikes On Bay Ferries Because Of BART Strike
OAKLAND (CBS SF) - The San Francisco Bay Ferry saw three times its normal ridership at Jack London Square in Oakland Monday morning because of the BART strike, a ferry spokesman said.
The ferry offered departures every 45 minutes from Alameda and Oakland to San Francisco Monday morning.
The busiest period at the Jack London Square dock was around 7 a.m. when the average wait time to board a boat was about 40 minutes, SF Bay Ferry spokesman Ernest Sanchez said. The crowd had thinned by 9:30 a.m.
Long lines, roped off by yellow tape and traffic cones, moved quickly late Monday morning as boats arrived.
Extra ferry employees were on hand to answer questions, provide schedules, and offer directions to some commuters unaccustomed to getting from Jack London Square to downtown Oakland.
The San Francisco Bay Ferry, which also serves South San Francisco and Vallejo, was operating 11 vessels Monday morning—three more than on a normal Monday.
One ferry was redirected from the North Bay to provide extra service from Oakland to San Francisco, ferry officials said.
A free shuttle was provided Monday for those traveling from various spots in Alameda to the Alameda-Main Street Ferry.
The parking lots were full at the docks, and Sanchez advised riders to get dropped off rather than drive to the docks.
Golden Gate Ferry was recommending that commuters avoid the Larkspur ferry terminal Monday morning, a spokeswoman said.
Ferry service was operating at normal capacity from Larkspur and Sausalito to San Francisco.
Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District spokeswoman Mary Currie said there was no overflow parking at the Larkspur ferry terminal to accommodate extra riders.
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