Case Studies
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ATTACHMENT 1: CASE STUDIES Water taxi operators from six major cities throughout the world were selected to provide a comprehensive perspective on the types of services they provide and the markets they serve. The maps shown on the following two pages illustrate the geographic location of the city and water taxi service area in each city relative to the size of the San Francisco waterfront. Each of these case studies features water taxi service in an urban area along a body of water similar to the San Francisco Bay (generally a geographic area comprising a maritime network within or linked to an oceanic/open water area). Water taxi systems along inland waterways (i.e. rivers) such as Singapore, New York and Chicago were not included in the case studies. The majority of the operators examined in this study provide on‐call/on‐demand service (e.g., no fixed‐route or fixed schedule), linear or flexible (deviated) service with multiple stops (e.g., along a coastal waterfront or harbor), or simply provide passenger pick‐up and drop‐off (“hop‐on/hop‐off”) with fixed landings, scheduled service and a fixed‐route. The majority of water taxi operators included in the case studies are privately owned and operated. A1-1 SAN FRANCISCO BOSTON Boston Harbor Population: 825,900 Population: 636,500 Employment: 484,100 Employment: 356,700 Stops: 20 SEATTLE VICTORIA Elliot Bay t Pier 50 oute utle le R Ro at Se st t t e ea W sS t W Upper Seacrest Park Harbor Outer Harbor Inner Harbor To Port Angeles Population: 634,500 Population: 80,000 Employment: 377,000 Employment: 45,300 Stops: 3 Stops: 16 Water Taxi Stops Routes 0 1000ft 4000ft A1-2 SAN FRANCISCO ISTANBUL Istanbul Population: 825,900 PopulatioPopulation:n 113,483,000 Employment: 484,100 EmploymEmploymenent: 4,047,200 Stops: 27 SYDNEY HONG KONG Kowloon Kowloon Penin ula Tsim Sha Tsur (Marine Hub of Harbour) Victoria Harbor Balmain East CircuCirc l ar Quay Hong Kong Island Wan Chai Pier (Convention Center) Darling Harbour Hong Kong Island Population: 4,627,300 Population: 7,071,600 Employment: 2,314,100 Employment: 3,512,100 Stops: Over 100 Stops: 3 Wateer Taxi Stops 0 1000ft 4000ft A1-3 System performance and operational information of each water taxi operator was provided via online resources (i.e., company website, visitor information websites, etc.) and from phone or in‐person interviews with company staff. It is noted that information regarding a specific evaluation criterion or topic (outlined above) may not be included herein, primarily due to discretion of the operator and their right to disclose or not to disclose information related to their business, or due to the inability to access certain information from web‐based, online sources. Boston, Massachusetts The City of Boston is the largest city in Massachusetts and the densest urban area in New England, with a population of 6.4 million. The City is surrounded by the Boston Harbor that connects with Charles River, Neponset River, and Mystic River. The City attracts approximately 22.5 million visitors a year, primarily due to its rich history, historical neighborhoods, and multiple cultural institutions and attractions and architecture. Boston Harbor, an estuary of the Massachusetts Bay (located at the westernmost portion of Massachusetts Bay), is home to over 20 islands, several Exhibit 1: lighthouses, recreational open space areas and many key City Water Taxi Vessel attraction sites as well as Logan International Airport. Service Characteristics There are two water taxi operators in the City of Boston that provide on‐call, on‐demand service and operate at fixed landings for passenger pick‐up and drop‐off along various locations in Boston Harbor. Therefore, these two companies do not operate on a fixed route or time‐based schedule. Vessel sizes typically range between 26 to 30 feet in length and can accommodate between 17 and 21 passengers per vessel; Exhibit 1 is a picture of a City Water Taxi vessel (known as the “checkerboard fleet”). 13 The average speed of water taxis is about 12 miles per hour (or 10 knots), the maximum travel distance along Boston Harbor (distance between two furthest points in service area) is approximately 2.3 miles, the maximum travel time is approximately 12 minutes (all other trips have less travel time). Water taxis provide service to approximately 19 locations along Boston Harbor (as shown in Figure 6a). Weekday and weekend services are provided. Service hours are generally from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. Patrons are to call in order to make a reservation and to notify the operators of their pick‐up location; advanced reservations are not required. Both water taxi operators coordinate with local hotels and therefore, concierge, doormen, and desk clerks are allowed to call and make a reservation for water taxi service. A 1-4 Terminals/Docking Facilities As shown in Figure 6a, water service stop locations are provided at various inland ports and wharfs along Boston Harbor. Such stops include Logan International Airport, the Black Falcon Cruise Ship Terminal, and several retail centers, restaurants, and major attractions located at or near marinas, wharfs, and piers. Other docking facilities include mixed‐use developments with a high concentration of residential uses. Each landing varies in size and style, as each facility is built to accommodate many different vessel types. Transportation Connectivity Both water taxi services operating throughout the Boston Harbor area provide direct access to multiple transportation modes. As described above, these operators both serve Logan International Airport and the travel time from the airport to the downtown area is approximately seven minutes. There is also water taxi service to the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal, a terminal owned and operated by Massport that handles approximately 100 ocean‐going cruise ships a year. 14 In addition, the majority of water taxi stops are conveniently located near existing Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus transit stops and heavy rail stations. Most bus transit stops are located within 500 feet from water taxi stop locations and several subway stations (e.g., Red, Blue, and Orange lines) are generally less than one‐half‐mile from water taxi stops. Fare Structure Passenger fares are generally a flat rate of $10.00 for any one‐way trip per person; however, round trip service can cost between $17.00 and $20.00 per person, depending on the stop locations and length of trip. Fares are typically collected onboard and cash or credit exchanges are permitted. Water taxi operators in Boston allow for advanced ticketing and fares can be purchased online. One of the operators, Rowes Wharf Water Taxi, allows passengers to purchase unlimited day passes for $25.00 per person and unlimited weekly passes for $50.00 per person, and this operator also conducts tours and allows groups to charter their boats for a given time period. Key Findings Water taxis in Boston operate an on‐call, on‐demand service and provide direct transport to multiple locations in Boston Harbor, many of which are major attraction sites as well as transportation hubs (e.g., Logan International Airport and Black Falcon Cruise Terminal). Importantly, pricing is relatively competitive with other surface transportation services, such as auto taxis and/or shuttle buses. Other incentives for passengers include day or weekly passes to request pick‐up and drop‐off at various locations. Travel times are generally short, with trips to and from landings requiring around 10 minutes, which may be substantially faster than other modes, especially during peak commute periods. Lastly, Boston’s water taxi operators have formed an association with local hotels, and hotel staff are able to make water taxi reservations for hotel guests. 14 Black Falcon Cruise Terminal information available online at: http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/placestogo/location.php?nid=6&sid=40 A 1-5 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, along the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The city has a population of approximately 80,000 and about 344,000 throughout the greater Victoria metropolitan area. The city attracts approximately 3.5 million visitors a year. Victoria is situated along Victoria Harbor, which serves as a major visitor destination for the city and also serves various types of maritime activities, including Exhibit 2: cruise ships, ferries, seaplanes, and water taxis. H20 Water Taxi Vessel Service Characteristics There is one water taxi operator in Victoria Harbor, the “H2O Water Taxi”, which is owned and operated by Victoria Harbor Ferry Company, Limited, which also operates ferry and tour‐based services. The company has been providing water taxi service along Victoria Harbor for over 20 years.15 The water taxi service provides on‐call, on‐demand service at up to 17 locations along Victoria Harbor and traverses multiple waterways therein, including the Gorge Waterway, Upper Harbor, Inner Harbor, and Outer Harbor (see Figure 6a). There are approximately 14 vessels in operation and each vessel can accommodate up to 12 passengers (see Exhibit 2)16. The vessels are designed to provide side passenger loading. The average speed per vessel is approximately 8 mph (7 knots), the maximum travel distance (distance between two furthest points in service area) is approximately 2.9 miles and the maximum travel time is approximately 21 minutes (all other trips have less travel time). Reservations can be made in advance; however, service is generally on‐call and the water taxi will pick‐up passengers at any of the 17 different pick‐up and drop‐off points around the Harbor.