National Academies Press: OpenBook

Guidelines for Ferry Transportation Services (2012)

Chapter: Front Matter

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2012. Guidelines for Ferry Transportation Services. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/14644.
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TRANSPORTAT ION RESEARCH BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 2012 www.TRB.org T R A N S I T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M TCRP REPORT 152 Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation Subscriber Categories Public Transportation • Marine Transportation • Terminals and Facilities Guidelines for Ferry Transportation Services Anthony Bruzzone ARUP NORTH AMERICA LTD SAN FRANCISCO, CA

TCRP REPORT 152 Project H-40 ISSN 1073-4872 ISBN 978-0-309-21383-7 Library of Congress Control Number 2012930196 © 2012 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA, FMCSA, FTA, or Transit Development Corporation endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the Transit Cooperative Research Program, conducted by the Transportation Research Board with the approval of the Governing Board of the National Research Council. The members of the technical panel selected to monitor this project and to review this report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance. The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board, the National Research Council, or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, the National Research Council, and the sponsors of the Transit Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM The nation’s growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Current systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to intro- duce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem- solving research. TCRP, modeled after the longstanding and success- ful National Cooperative Highway Research Program, undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of tran- sit service providers. The scope of TCRP includes a variety of transit research fields including planning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices. TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Pro- posed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was autho- rized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement out- lining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooper- ating organizations: FTA, the National Academies, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a nonprofit educational and research orga- nization established by APTA. TDC is responsible for forming the independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Committee. Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Committee to formulate the research program by identi- fying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Committee defines funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel, appointed by the Transportation Research Board. The panels prepare project state- ments (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide techni- cal guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research pro- grams since 1962. As in other TRB activities, TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Because research cannot have the desired impact if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on dissemi- nating TCRP results to the intended end users of the research: tran- sit agencies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other support- ing material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by urban and rural transit industry practitioners. The TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively address common operational problems. The TCRP results support and complement other ongoing transit research and training programs. Published reports of the TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from: Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet at http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore Printed in the United States of America

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. On the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, on its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. The Transportation Research Board is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council. The mission of the Transporta- tion Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about 7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individu- als interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org www.national-academies.org

CRP STAFF FOR TCRP REPORT 152 Christopher W. Jenks, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Crawford F. Jencks, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Lawrence D. Goldstein, Senior Program Officer Tiana Barnes, Senior Program Assistant Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications Ellen M. Chafee, Editor TCRP PROJECT H-40 PANEL Field of Policy and Planning Martha Bewick, The Harbor Consultancy International, Hingham, MA (Chair) Janet Cox, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, New York, NY Ray Deardorf, Washington State DOT, Seattle, WA Elizabeth J. Gedney, Passenger Vessel Association, Alexandria, VA Celia G. Kupersmith, San Francisco, CA Joseph A. Riccio, Jr., Connecticut Maritime Commission, Stratford, CT John P. Sindzinski, Water Transit Authority, San Francisco, CA Robin Trinko-Russell, Madeline Island Ferry Line, La Pointe, WI Ryan J. Frigo, FTA Liaison Michael Gordon, US Maritime Administration Liaison Joedy W. Cambridge, TRB Liaison AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Lauren Dong Arup North America Ltd Ian Austin URS Corporation Tom Fox The Fox Group Veronica Raymonda Quantum Market Research C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S

TCRP Report 152 examines the history and characteristics of ferry systems throughout North America and, based on this review, develops guidelines for planning, marketing, operating, and managing a ferry system as a component of an overall transportation net- work. These guidelines examine the potential benefits of and impediments to ferry trans- portation services and help establish planning, operational, and management benchmarks: (a) ability to increase capacity of the local, regional, or national transportation network; (b) potential to reduce travel congestion; (c) degree of potential environmental mitigation; (d) potential effect on local and regional economies; (e) procedures for measuring cost- effectiveness; and (f) ability to contribute to disaster/emergency preparedness. Included are criteria that transportation system planners and decision makers can use to evaluate the via- bility of proposed ferry services as a function of specific location, travel demand, and over- all market conditions. The guidelines are aimed at policymakers who are considering ferry services as a trans- portation option, entrepreneurs who are considering investing in new or expanded ferry services, and existing operators who could use the “how-to” portions of this research. The guidelines identify those factors that help create competitive ferry service in specific markets, particularly where roads and bridges are congested, where ferries can offer direct paths of travel, and where markets are large enough to support capital and operating expenses associated with provision of ferry services. Ferry service in the United States has experienced resurgence in popularity and interest in the past 10 to 15 years. Increasing levels of automobile congestion across the country, the rising cost for expanding public transit, and the development constraints on new infrastruc- ture have in some locations combined to make waterborne transportation an attractive alternative. While ferry transportation is one of the oldest forms of public transit in the United States, it is only recently that ferry services were recognized as another public transit operation in league with buses, trains, and subways. In response to potential changes in market conditions, the objective of this research was to prepare a practitioner’s guide for the ferry industry: to review experience of existing systems; to extract typical planning, development, and operating parameters; and to help establish a systematic planning and development procedure. To prepare this study, the research team began with a broad literature search, reviewed planning documents available from many levels, and supplemented that review with an in- depth study of eight ferry systems operating in various places throughout the United States as well as in British Columbia. A major component of this research was a review and analysis of best practices based on a thorough study of experience. Additional information is contained in the two appendices that accompany the guidelines: Appendix A, which provides F O R E W O R D By Lawrence D. Goldstein Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

a bibliography, and Appendix B, which summarizes the ferry operators’ survey that was used to gather original data on each system included. The product of this research is a set of ferry system planning and development guidelines incorporated into two major sections. The first section reports on the background research underpinning the analysis. This section includes information gathered through implement- ing the eight case studies—documenting specific system planning, development, and oper- ating experience. It also summarizes unique experience with special circumstances, from the heroic disaster response the New York Harbor ferries handled three times over the last decade (9/11, the Northeast Blackout, and US Airways Flight 1549’s landing in the Hudson), to the response to special environmental conditions that can be a pitfall in system realization when not adequately addressed as part of the planning process. The research stresses that no individual ferry system is typical. In many ways, each sys- tem is unique; however, each offers examples of practice and system information resources adaptable to specific market area conditions. What emerges from this study is an ordered approach to the ferry service planning and development process, leading the user through two significant phases: actual strategic planning and preparation of an effective business plan for implementation and system operation. These guidelines focus on strategic planning issues, suggesting criteria for consideration during the planning and development process. The guidelines also examine how ferry system planning should be integrated into the statewide transportation planning process and summarize the role of federal regulatory agencies. Based on the review of the related literature together with the case study analysis, the guidelines conclude that successful ferry system planning and development requires strategic placement of the ferry product and preparation of a comprehensive business plan that incorporates the following components: • Business description and vision; • Definition of the market; • Description of products and services; • Organization and management; • Planning, marketing, and sales; and • Financial management.

P A R T 1 Background Information and Case Studies 3 Section 1 Introduction 3 Background 3 Objectives and Methodology 5 Report Organization 6 Section 2 Definitions and Types of Ferry Services 6 Definitions 7 Types of Ferry Service 9 Section 3 Ferry Service Typologies 9 Ferry Functions 11 Ferry Route Typology 13 Section 4 Stakeholders and Institutions Affecting Ferry Services 13 Federal Regulatory Agencies 14 Other Federal Agencies 15 State and Local Agencies 15 Funding Sources 18 Section 5 Ferry Case Studies 18 Initial Survey of Ferry Operators 19 About the Case Studies 19 Connecticut–Long Island (New York) Ferry Services 28 New York Harbor Ferries 39 North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division 47 U.S. Virgin Island Ferries 52 Washington Island Ferry Line (Wisconsin) 57 Seattle Metropolitan Area Ferry System 71 Hawaii Superferry Project 78 British Columbia Ferry System P A R T 2 Practitioner and Policymaker Guidance 91 Section 6 Summary of Guidance 93 Section 7 Strategic Planning in Ferry Service Development 93 Problem Identification 94 Assessment of All Transit Alternatives—Incorporation of Goals, Criteria, and Measures 98 Analysis of the Ferry Alternative 105 The Go/No-Go Decision C O N T E N T S

112 Section 8 Issues in Ferry Service Management and Operation 112 Recruiting, Development, and Retention of Personnel 113 Vessel Technology 116 Terminal Design 123 Energy and Environmental Impacts 123 Land Use and Traffic and Transit Coordination Issues 125 Regulatory and Safety Requirements 127 Maintenance Requirements 128 Marketability 130 Section 9 Strategic Plan/Business Plan 130 Strategic Plan 131 Business Plan 135 References 138 Appendix A Bibliography 142 Appendix B Ferry Operators’ Survey Results Note: Many of the photographs, figures, and tables in this report have been converted from color to grayscale for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the Web at www.trb.org) retains the color versions.

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TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 152: Guidelines for Ferry Transportation Services examines the history and characteristics of ferry systems throughout North America and offers guidelines for planning, marketing, operating, and managing a ferry system as a component of an overall transportation network.

The report also explores the potential benefits of and impediments to ferry transportation services and identifies potential planning, operational, and management benchmarks.

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