WETA to Develop Business Plan Shaping Future of Bay Area Water Transit
SAN FRANCISCO | May 21, 2021 – The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) Board of Directors today announced the agency will begin work on a business plan meant to establish a vision for enhancing and expanding its world-class ferry system.
In 2016, the WETA Board adopted the agency’s first long-term strategic plan. The strategic plan set out a vision for greatly expanding water transit over 20 years, advocated for increased regional funding and led to several key policies that have helped deliver new ferry service, including in Richmond and at Alameda’s Seaplane Lagoon. Development of the WETA Business Plan will update and evolve the Strategic Plan, leveraging stakeholder input and expanding the focus areas to identify new challenges and opportunities.
“With the region advancing toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time to start thinking about how expanded ferry service can be a solution to the challenges that we know are ahead,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of the WETA Board of Directors. “The WETA Business Plan will provide a comprehensive look at the long-term future of water transit, who it will serve, how it will operate, innovations that will be embraced, value that will be created, and importantly, the investment that will be needed to realize these benefits.”
Topics to be explored in the development of the WETA Business Plan include:
- Ferry service expansion and fleet planning
- Funding sources and priorities
- Organizational structure
- Performance measures and quality of service
- Equity and diversity policies
On Thursday, Chair Wunderman appointed WETA Directors Jessica Alba and Monique Moyer to an advisory committee of the Board. The committee will meet regularly with WETA staff and stakeholders to inform the progress of the Business Plan development. Completion of the effort is expected in 2022.