Vallejo Baylink Advisory Committee

VBAC Meeting Minutes for October 8, 200

1. ATTENDEES & PRELIMINARIES:

• Robert Boyce, representing the 6:30am ferry riders
• Wayne Shepard, representing the 8:00am ferry riders
• Chip Coundjeris, representing the 6:30am ferry riders
• Pat (Floris) Mathews, representing the 6:00am ferry riders (Ridership Chair)
• Kevin Donnelly, Blue & Gold Fleet - Baylink Administration
• Patrick Morgan, Blue & Gold Fleet - Baylink Operations Manager
• Marty Robbins, Baylink General Manager (Acting Committee Chair)
   
• Meeting called to order at 6:40pm
   
• Introductions

2. OLD BUSINESS:

Snack Bar

• There is a continuing concern with the inconsistent quality of brewed coffee onboard the ferries. Baylink will pass this issue onto San Francisco Bay Concessionaires (SFBC) for action.
   
• The City has executed a series of Performance Memorandums with Blue & Gold Fleet (B&G) and SFBC; these memorandums cover all aspects of snack bar service performance.

New Seating For M/V INTINTOLI

• The United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved Baylink’s plan for seat and flooring replacements for INTINTOLI in a letter dated September 23, 2003. The USCG reviewed and approved the fire ratings of the materials and fabrics, and accepted Baylink’s calculations showing a net reduction in fire load and an overall decrease in vessel weight. Reduced fire load and vessel weight both enhance overall vessel safety.
   
• With the USCG approvals in hand, Baylink has finalized orders for seats and floor coverings. Delivery dates are still unknown so project timing is still uncertain. Best estimate is that the work will begin in early 2004, and will take two weeks to complete.

M/V VALLEJO Concerns

• VALLEJO is scheduled to be dry-docked on November 28th and remain out of service until December 8th.
   
• While at drydock, the City will modify engine exhaust piping in an effort to reduce noise on the vessel. Sound readings will be taken before and after the work to document the effect.
   
• Also while at drydock, the solid bulwark panels at the exterior seating area of the 2nd deck will be installed to help with wind shielding.
   
• Following passenger deck renovation of INTINTOLI, the City will pursue new armrests with integral cup holders for VALLEJO and add them wherever budget allows.
   
• There are continuing reports that the passenger decks are too cold at times. Baylink believes that the HVAC equipment is functioning normally. However, thermostats are being set too low on very hot days, and then they do not get reset. Baylink requests that passengers contact crew members and request a thermostat check if the cabins appear to be unusually cold or hot.
   
• Boarding gate restraints have been installed and are being used.
   
• Once the new ferry is ready for service in June 2004, the VALLEJO will be sent to Nichols Brothers in Washington for extensive warranty work associated with aluminum plate replacement. We expect that the VALLEJO will be at the shipyard from July through December of 2004. The USCG has authorized continued operation of VALLEJO until the work can be accomplished. Baylink conducts regular inspection of the suspect plate; to date no problems have been detected.

Communications

• Variable message signs are operational.
   
• Baylink will be requesting permission from the Port of San Francisco (Port) to install similar signs there.
   
• Sign inside Vallejo Terminal may be capable of beeping in order to alert passengers of impending bus or ferry departures; like a five minute warning. Baylink will look into this feature.
   
• It was pointed out that Vallejo Transit needs to have a procedure for notifying Baylink in the event that bus service disrupted.
   
• There is some concern that the buses are not parking at the bus stop sign just north of the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero. Baylink will pass this concern on to Vallejo Transit as a driver training item.

Ferry Boarding Issues

• During the dredging project the Vallejo gangway and float will be modified with a second lockable gate farther down the gangway. This will allow queuing for some passengers under the cover of the canopy on the gangway. We expect the new gate on the gangway will come into use by November 14th as the dredging project completes. This will provide some cover during the inclement weather this winter.
   
• Hydraulic leak at the aft boarding ramp at the Ferry Building has not been fixed yet, a work order request has been filed with the Port.
   
• There is still some inconsistency in the use of both boarding ramps and both exit gates during heavy commute runs. Pat Morgan will reinforce this policy with all the Captains and Crews.

Signage & Queuing at The Ferry Building

• The issue of passenger queuing at the Ferry Building was discussed. The Port has no policy at this time, and defers to the nature of the passengers to form lines. The Port does expect that passenger queuing will be respectful of other Ferry Building activities and users, specifically the Slanted Door restaurant scheduled to open in the northeast corner of the building adjacent to Portal B. The restaurant will feature some outdoor seating and will want requisite cooperation from queuing passengers.
   
• For reasons of security and public safety the Port has started locking the doors at Portal B. The Port failed to provide Baylink with advance notification of this policy, so we were taken off guard.
   
• Baylink will ask the Port to consider leaving the doors unlocked during the mid-day, in addition to the unlocked periods around the two commute periods. Final authority with this issue rests with the Port.

Dredging Project

• Dredging started October 14th (post meeting notation).
   
• Ferry loading and unloading will shift to the temporary dock on or about Monday, October 27th. The north side of the temporary dock will be set up to accommodate the VALLEJO. The south side will accommodate the INTINTOLI and MARE ISLAND.
   
• Ferry service will not be shut down.
   
• Ferry service will be slightly disrupted, loading and unloading times will be a bit longer at the temporary site. However, we will not change the schedule.
   
• Full ADA accessibility to INTINTOLI will be maintained at the temporary dock. However, full ADA accessibility to the VALLEJO will not be possible. Deck crews will be standing by to assist all passengers who request assistance in boarding.
   
• The current float will be taken to drydock for preventative maintenance, painting, second gate installation, and minor repairs.
   
• All temporary installations will be capable of re-use in 5 years when dredging will be required once again. The planning effort for re-use will keep future dredging costs to a minimum.

New Ferry Update

• Construction of the new ferry remains ahead of schedule at Dakota Creek. Structural work is nearly 60% complete. Major equipment items are beginning to arrive at the shipyard for installation. Delivery to the City is contractually set for April 16, 2004.
   
• Baylink expects to see the vessel launched in February 2004 with sea trials and testing in March. Delivery to Vallejo should occur in April, followed by about six weeks of training and break-in. The new vessel should enter regular service in June 2004.
   
• Dakota Creek was not involved in the aluminum plate recall that is currently affecting VALLEJO and approximately 125 other vessels.
   
• Operating money for the three boat schedule is dependent upon raising bridge tolls to $3.00.

TransLink Ticketing

• • Implementation is still slated for 2004. Given current problems with hand-held ticket readers we expect this implementation to occur late in 2004 or early 2005. As more information becomes available, Baylink will pass it on.

3. NEW BUSINESS:

Ferry Schedules – Current & Future “3 Boat” Schedule

• Winter schedule will go into effect on Monday, November 3rd and extend through to March 31st … no change to weekday schedule, reduced one boat schedule on weekends.
   
• There is some sentiment for revising the current weekday ferry schedule in advance of the future three boat schedule. There is some concern that the current schedule does not support commuters who do not have the luxury of a flex-time schedule, and need to be at work by 7:00AM, 7:30AM, 9:00AM for example. The current schedule cannot meet these work start times because some time is required to get from the Ferry Building to the workplace. The VFAC would like the City to take a survey or poll to see if there is a clear consensus from the existing ridership to tweak the schedule to accommodate non-flex time riders.
   
• There is also some sentiment that new ridership can be attracted to the service if we adjust the morning commute schedule.
   
• Baylink offered that our top priority is to maintain service intervals for the majority of our current ridership, and that attracting new riders is important, but secondary.
   
• Prior surveys on this issue resulted in a resounding “NO” to tweaking the morning sailing times. However, the City may ask this question again to see if the prevailing sentiments have changed regarding this issue.
   
• The three boat schedule (pending voter approval of the $3.00 bridge toll ballot measure in March 2004) will not begin until the VALLEJO completes warranty repairs … as mentioned above, the earliest that the VALLEJO will return from the warranty work is December 2004.

INTINTOLI Engine Problems

• The main engine problems on INTINTOLI seem to be behind us finally after a very challenging summer full of problems.
   
• The INTINTOLI is now running with two fresh engines and we have every reason to expect another 12,000 hours of trouble free operation.
   
• The failures this summer have been attributed to machining errors (human) at a local (Oakland) machine shop; and a cylinder liner casting failure (material failure).
   
• The engine originally destined for the MARE ISLAND was diverted to the INTINTOLI to replace the destroyed engine.
   
• All costs for the engine work on INTINTOLI were covered under our warranty with Stewart & Stevenson (S&S). The brand new engine (~$500,000 retail cost) was provided in mid-October and will be installed on MARE ISLAND.

Mare Island Work & Generator Problems (modified post meeting)

• MARE ISLAND was scheduled for two weeks out of service starting October 20th for a routine engine overhaul, generator overhaul, and other work … but the events at the Ferry Building on October 11th have changed our plans.
   
• MARE ISLAND will be out of service through November 21st to correct collision damage and accomplish the aforementioned maintenance work.
   
• Baylink will be providing a complete statement regarding the events of October 11th as soon as B&G releases the information.
   
• The generator overhaul will hopefully correct the tendency of the generators to shut down and transfer as the ferry comes off speed. We recently completed fuel line modifications on both big boats to remove one more possible reason for the generator shifting.

USCG Vessel & Port Security Regulations

• Final USCG rules regarding vessel and port security were made final in July 2003. Baylink is required to file a plan to meet these rules to the USCG by December 31, 2003.
   
• Baylink expects the plan will follow the small passenger vessel industry standards developed by the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), these standards will bear the USCG seal of approval. Furthermore, these PVA standards are most applicable to the ferries that Baylink operates … as opposed to the rules for large ocean going vessels and cruise liners.
   
• Once the USCG approves our plan, Baylink will have 12 months to implement the plan.
   
• The City of Vallejo is in receipt of a $500,000 grant from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to improve port security in Vallejo. These grant dollars should offset the cost incurred by Baylink to meet the new USCG security rules.
   
• The goal for the security upgrade is to enhance Baylink security without hindering the level of service provided to the passengers, to make the security measures largely transparent to the riders, while making our service more secure in meaningful ways.
   
• Security enhancements will include improved gates and locks with access controls, more lighting, video surveillance & recording, alarms, fencing at the Mare Island site, and creation of a passenger screening area on the Vallejo float in the event that passenger screening is required due to an elevated maritime security threat level.
   
• Once the plan is approved by the USCG, Baylink will disseminate more information to the ridership.

Giants Friday Night Service

• We served 13 Friday night Giants games this year and carried a total of 1,923 people for an average of 148 per game. A round trip sailing for Baylink averages about $1,500 in direct costs. Revenue per passenger currently averages about $12.64 per round trip. Given these averages the Giants service was slightly profitable (cash flow positive) by about 25%. Baylink anticipates offering this service next year, and will consider some expansion of the service.

4. FUTURE ISSUES & CLOSING:

• Baylink approved the VFAC Request for a Comment Box on each ferry, VFAC to have responsibility for the box.
   
• Fare Increase scheduled for April 1, 2004 as previously approved by the Vallejo City Council.
   
• VFAC requested historical ridership counts; Baylink will provide spreadsheet.
   
• Next Meeting – early January 2004, date to be determined.
   
• Meeting adjourned at 8:18pm