Free Alameda-Oakland Water Shuttle To Launch

ALAMEDA, CA — A new water shuttle will run between Alameda and Oakland starting July 17. The shuttle is free for passengers, and bicycles are welcome.

Named Woodstock, the shuttle will carry people across the Oakland Estuary, Wednesday through Sunday, for the next two years. It will offer 37 trips per day that take under 10 minutes.

“We are thrilled to find a means to create a pleasant linkage for pedestrians and bicyclists between Oakland and Alameda’s west end,” stated Mike O’Hara, ATMA Board Chair. “This gap has existed for far too long, and we very much appreciate the commitment of our funding partners, the City of Alameda, and SF Bay Ferry to make this shuttle come to life!”

Woodstock was formerly owned by a tour operator in Buffalo, New York. It was trucked across country to Svendsen’s Bay Marine boatyard in Richmond where it got a makeover, including modifications to comfortably accommodate bikes and people in wheelchairs.

“San Francisco Bay Ferry is very proud to be adding this new service to our network,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of SF Bay Ferry’s Board of Directors. “This is a great example of communities and partners working together to connect growing job and population centers with new services that will get travelers out of their cars and onto public transit. I look forward to partnering on more pilot services like this in the coming years.”

Modifications to Woodstock were made by Romero’s Welding in Vallejo.