Free water taxi between Oakland/Alameda, California - does it make sense?

y_p_w

y_p_w

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May 6, 2005
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This is a pilot project funded by the city of Alameda, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, the Port of Oakland, and a transportation nonprofit (Alameda Transportation Management Association). They claim it was inspired by water transportation in Amsterdam, although I'm thinking across an estuary like this isn't quite the same.

They're using an old boat that used to do tours in Buffalo, NY. Never knew that was a thing. The service is free, connecting between Jack London Square in Oakland and a city park in Alameda. I've taken San Francisco Bay Ferry between Oakland and Alameda as a longer trip to/from San Francisco, but the Alameda location is further away and kind of in the middle of nowhere. At least the Alameda location for the water taxi is a fairly close walk to a Target and other shopping. Still - I've gone there before, and I'm thinking anyone with a car would probably just drive there from Oakland through the Webster Tube. The distance of the water taxi route looks to be about 600 feet across the Oakland Estuary.

20240208-160321_Alameda-Woodstock-OaklandEstuary.jpg


https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/photos-first-look-at-free-oakland-to-alameda-water-shuttle/
https://alamedapost.com/news/new-water-shuttle-woodstock-launches-july-17/

The service will:​
​
  • Be free!
  • Be ADA-accessible
  • Accommodate bicycles easily
  • Run between Alameda Landing (behind Target, at the Bohol Circle Immigrant Park dock) and Oakland's Jack London Square (at the foot of Broadway)
  • Operate 5 days per week, Wednesdays through Sundays. Service levels may change later depending on funding and season.
  • Be a two-year pilot, with the opportunity to grow over time
I suppose the idea is that there's actually a fair bit of new residential units on both sides. And people living on the Oakland side might use the water taxi for shopping at Safeway, Target, and dining in the restaurants, and in Alameda they can take in Jack London Square. Not sure how busy it's going to get, and the the boat can only carry 30 passengers.
 
Nothing of value to anyone in this world is, "free". Politicians use that word when they want to give something to their voters to bribe them, under the ruse that it is, "free". But in reality it means they have shifted the means of how it will be paid for to someone else.

There are all kinds of examples of this. "Free" healthcare. "Free" housing. "Free" education. Or in this case, "free" transportation. The crime isn't that they keep doing this. The crime is people continue to believe it. Mostly because they don't care who is paying for it, just as long as it isn't them.
 
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I will admit, using 'free' to describe govt. funded or most any funded good or service is a sore point. Accurate descriptors such as 'tax(payer) funded', 'fee funded', 'enterprise funded', etc. should be used, not free. ~16 years on a Town Finance Committee will do that to you:)

Back on topic, this has all of the markings of a pet project boondoggle...
 
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The more I think of it, the more it sounds workable other than the capacity and that it's only 5 days a week. Here's the path:

Screen Shot 2024-07-06 at 9.46.02 AM.webp


I suppose another thing is that it accepts bicycles, which one can't ride through the Webster Tube.
 
wings&wheels said:
I will admit, using 'free' to describe govt. funded or most any funded good or service is a sore point. Accurate descriptors such as 'tax(payer) funded', 'fee funded', 'enterprise funded', etc. should be used, not free. ~16 years on a Town Finance Committee will do that to you:)

Back on topic, this has all of the markings of a pet project boondoggle...
Click to expand...

There's a complimentary bus service nearby in Emeryville called Emery Go Round. I've taken it before. It's primarily paid for by local businesses, although I think it might qualify for government grants. Looked up more info on it, and the buses have exempt plates (so it's not technically "private") plus there was a citywide property assessment that was approved a few years back. And the primary funding is through a commercial property assessment.
 
y_p_w said:
The more I think of it, the more it sounds workable other than the capacity and that it's only 5 days a week. Here's the path:

View attachment 228849

I suppose another thing is that it accepts bicycles, which one can't ride through the Webster Tube.
Click to expand...
Define workable? At no cost to the passengers, meaning no financial targets, I suppose ridership and reliability would be your only measures. Haven't been in Alameda in a while, since '08 or so, but do you see this as a viable commuter route?
 
slo town said:
Look at al the dents on the sides of the pontoons. That thing will make the news - for all the wrong reasons - before its two year pilot program is up.
Click to expand...

Those are rubber bumpers. They’re just for docking.

I found video from its arrival. Was originally named “Captain Jack” as operated by Buffalo Pedal Tours.



I don’t think it was ever a pedal boat (which do operate in Buffalo). Probably just a supplement to their party bikes.

https://buffalopedaltours.com/

Found this. It was operated as one of two party boats, where operations started less than two years ago. I suppose it didn’t get enough use to justify keeping it.

 
billt460 said:
Nothing of value to anyone in this world is, "free". Politicians use that word when they want to give something to their voters to bribe them, under the ruse that it is, "free". But in reality it means they have shifted the means of how it will be paid for to someone else.

There are all kinds of examples of this. "Free" healthcare. "Free" housing. "Free" education. Or in this case, "free" transportation. The crime isn't that they keep doing this. The crime is people continue to believe it. Mostly because they don't care who is paying for it, just as long as it isn't them.
Click to expand...
So when you park is that a ruse it’s “free” and not valuable. Visit the town or city park for a “free” concert it has no value? The list goes on and on. Visit a public restroom it’s “free”. You take advantage of “free”.
 
y_p_w said:
Those are rubber bumpers. They’re just for docking.

I found video from its arrival. Was originally named “Captain Jack” as operated by Buffalo Pedal Tours.



I don’t think it was ever a pedal boat (which do operate in Buffalo). Probably just a supplement to their party bikes.

https://buffalopedaltours.com/

Found this. It was operated as one of two party boats, where operations started less than two years ago. I suppose it didn’t get enough use to justify keeping it.

Click to expand...

Didn't one of these things blow over in a storm some years back, drowning several people?

If I remember it was one of those amphibious "ducks", or something.
 
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