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Private Redwood City To SF, Emeryville Ferry Service Expanding To Public

KCBS_740 SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- A commuter ferry service that has run privately between Redwood City, San Francisco and Emeryville will offer rides to the public as soon as this summer.

The Alameda-based startup Prop SF has been operating privately for the past five months.

Founder and CEO James Jaber runs what he described as a Google bus on water for private employers, but told KCBS he has plans to expand.

"We applied for a public permit in August which will enable us to open up to the general public, so we can post a public schedule, and collect money on the boat," Jaber said.

Jaber expects ridership to triple, from 100 to 300 passengers when the service opens to the public. It would be the first public ferry service out of Redwood City.

"The area's number one concern, especially for the bigger employers is traffic," Jaber said.

Port of Redwood City Executive Director Michael Giari says the public's timetable for ferry expansion is seven years, much longer than Prop SF's.

"They certainly were able to put together the ferry service that they're offering, they put that together pretty fast," Giari said.

Giari says the port does have the necessary infrastructure in place to serve the ferries.

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