Too Bad Golden Gate Ferry Sticking With Diesel

Of the two public transit ferry services operating on San Francisco Bay, only one of them is committed to electric ferries. 

San Francisco Bay Ferry has launched a Rapid Electric Emission-Free initiative — “a transformative suite of projects to transition our fleet to zero-emission propulsion technology,” per their website. SF Bay Ferry, which began operating in 2012, will have five electric ferries in its fleet next year. 

Golden Gate Ferry, operated by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District, the same public agency that manages the Golden Gate Bridge, currently operates no electric ferries and has none on the drawing board. The funds they recently secured for new ferries are being used to build two new diesel-powered ferries.   

Their choice to continue using diesel seems inconsistent with their pro-environment history. In the early 1970s, the GGB District began operating a bus and ferry transit system to alleviate traffic congestion on the bridge. Giving North Bay commuters the option of public transit into San Francisco also helped address increased Bay Area air pollution. 

In recent years, the District began a slow transition to electric buses, but, despite acknowledging the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they remain unwilling to commit to electric ferries.

After convincing the District’s 19-member board to pass a Climate Emergency Resolution in 2019, climate activists have spoken at every monthly board meeting, urging the District to plot out a timeline toward zero emissions.

In 2024, the District board took a step closer. In their Strategic Plan Initiative, they called for establishing “a long-term energy plan with implementation timeline goals for green transportation options for Bridge, Bus, and Ferry operations.” 

They have yet to act on that initiative. While some board members have spoken up in favor of electric ferries, the District’s General Manager, Denis Mulligan, continues to claim that electric ferries are not yet fast enough to meet commuters’ needs.

Pressure from climate groups continues. In March, the Climate Reality Project, 350SF, Extinction Rebellion, the SF Climate Emergency Coalition, and sixteen other Bay Area climate groups presented a petition to the Golden Gate Bridge District board urging them to “begin work immediately on a plan that will lead to a full transition to electric ferries.”

Climate activists argue that the agency managing the most iconic structure in the state needs to set the right example by developing a zero-emissions ferry fleet.