Patrick R. Vasicek, P.E.
Art Anderson Associates

POF System Sustainability is Everything
 Success of Mass Transit Systems is primarily driven by human factors – for POFs, ferry terminals are a major factor
 Economics of Mass Transit Systems in general and
Passenger Only Ferry Systems specifically must rival those for the automobile – currently this an Apples to Oranges
Comparison
 Flexible terminals can mitigate many human factors and improve the life cycle cost of the POF system.

POF System Life-Cycle Analysis Example
Baylink Ferry—San Francisco Bay Area

 Human/Social Factors



Modal Pre-Disposition (competing mode factor)
Quality of Service (Level of Service Measure)
 Economic Factors
Overall system cost (normalized to = $/Passenger-Mile)
 System permanence (degree of system subsidy normalized to equal 100% - acceptable fare box recovery rate)
 Environmental Factors.
 System Sustainable Use Factor (Renewability %)

 Fixed Route transit systems use a six level measurement system graded A – F
 LOS metrics should:
 Represent the passenger point of view
 Be easily quantifiable in terms of LOS
 Use measures already in use by other agencies
 Transit systems are optimally designed to meet LOS C or D

LOS Calculations
LOS Category Score Weight
Modal Pre-Disposition C 8
Service Frequency
Hours of Service
Service Coverage
Passenger Load
D
D
C
C
On-Time Performance C
Indexed LOS <C
2
1
1
2
2
Weighted
Score Comments
24 Ferry faster than rush hour in car
4
2
3
Less than 40 minutes during rush hour
Daytime service
Good intermodal connectivity on both ends
Rarely exceeds 300 pax/boat 6
6
2.8125

Overall System Operation Cost
Baylink Ferry System, San Francisco Bay Area
Capital Costs - Present Worth (PW) Annual Depreciation Costs (at 3%)
Year
Built First Cost
Service Life
Extension (SLE)
Cost
Service Life
Extension Date
SLE Added
(Years)
Initial Life
Cycle (Years)
Boats (300 Pax)
M/V Vallejo
M/V Mare Island
M/V Initintoli
M/V Solano
Vallejo Terminal
Ferry Maint Facility
San Fran Terminal (Shared)
Total Annual Capital Cost
1991
1997
1997
2004
1990
2007
2001
4,000,000
8,000,000
8,000,000
11,000,000
4,000,000
16,000,000
4,000,000
1,000,000
0
0
0
0
0
0
2001 10 20
20
20
20
30
30
30
PW - Annual
Remaining Life Straight line
Cycle (Years) Depreciation
11
14
10
7
7
27
21
195,716
587,413
587,413
656,729
240,815
582,788
86,985
2,937,859
Annual Operations & Maintenance Costs
Present
Annual Cost
6,800,000
1,750,000
Boats
Facilities
11,487,859 Total Annual Cost
Ridership Capacity (current schedule - one way trips)
Half-Capacity
Actual Ridership
Ridership Statistics
Per
Trip Routes/wk
Avg Miles per trip
Annual
Ridership
Capacity
300
150
177
177
177
27
27
27
2,761,200
1,380,600
650,000
Annual
Passengermiles
74,552,400
37,276,200
17,550,000
Cost per
Passenger-ride
System Cost/
Passenger-Mile
$4.16
$8.32
$17.67
$0.15
$0.31
$0.65

Overall System Operation Cost
 Out-of-pocket cost to operate an automobile ~
$0.50/passenger-mile (single occupancy)
 Above cost does not include all infrastructure costs (only those funded with gas taxes)
 Total System Operating Cost for Baylink example
($0.65/passenger-mile) compares well with single occupancy automobile, especially if infrastructure costs are added

Hercules, California
Hercules Waterfront

San Francisco Bay Area Prototype Terminal
WTA Ferry Terminal—Option 1

 Float
 Pier-to-Float Gangway
 Gangway Landing
Platform
 Float Ramps
 Loading Platform
 Transfer Gangway

Loading Platform and Transfer
Gangway in “Up” Stowed Position
Transfer Gangway Moved Laterally to Match up with Boat Door
Spacing

Loading Platform Lowered to
Match up with Boat Freeboard
Transfer Gangway Deployed –
Note: Goal is to Moor Boat &
Deploy Transfer Gangway in 30
Seconds

Vallejo Ferry Maintenance Facility –
Service Barge - Notch

South San Francisco – Prototype
Transfer Gangway – Geometric Analysis

South San Francisco – Prototype Transfer
Gangway – ADA Compliant Design

Trinidad & Tobago – NIDCO Water Taxi
Terminal Upgrades
Existing Pontoon System – San
Fernando
Existing Terminal _ San Fernando

NIDCO Water Taxi Terminal Upgrades – San
Fernando Terminal Fabrication Drawings

NIDCO Water Taxi Terminal Upgrades – San
Fernando Maintenance Area Fab Drawings

 ADA compliant, flexible POF terminals can be implemented using permanent, semi-permanent, fixed movable platforms or through the use of hydraulic/manually movable components
 Sustainability and long-term success of a POF system are interdependent and are both enhanced by the economic advantages and the improved human-factors related performance resulting from flexible terminal design
 Understanding and de-conflicting maintenance activities and Work Flow significantly improves life cycle costs and system sustainability