SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Bay Ferry today released the results of a survey showing strong support for a future ballot initiative that would raise revenue for expanded and improved regional ferry service.
The survey was conducted in Spring 2024 by local firm Corey, Canapary & Galanis as a part of broader market research efforts on behalf of SF Bay Ferry. The survey measured support among East Bay residents and found that 65% would support a ballot initiative raising revenue for enhanced and improved ferry service. Just 15% said they would oppose such a measure.
“Our ferry service is beloved by riders who have given us industry-leading 98% customer satisfaction ratings and our ridership is growing fast, so it’s not surprising to see strong support for investing new revenues in ferry service,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of the SF Bay Ferry Board of Directors.
The survey was targeted to residents of four East Bay counties (Solano, Napa, Contra Costa and Alameda) who travel to San Francisco or South San Francisco at least weekly but do not frequently use the ferry. SF Bay Ferry riders were also asked about support for a ballot initiative. Some 77% of riders expressed support for the initiative.
Over the past 12 months, SF Bay Ferry ridership was 89% of pre-pandemic levels. The system is currently experiencing 25% year-over-year ridership growth. On October 12 and 13 (San Francisco Fleet Week) SF Bay Ferry set an all-time ridership record in a single weekend with 32,146 passengers.
The service also performs well when it comes to cost-effectiveness, with the sixth lowest cost per passenger mile among the region’s 27 public transit operators.
Much of the region’s growth is focused on waterfront areas that are not easily accessible via traditional transit modes. Reducing regional congestion and enhancing accessibility to these growing job and population will require expanded ferry connections and development of a more robust water transit network. test revision