Transport: Bridges v. Ferries

Peninsular San Francisco was linked in 1936 to busy, populous, mainland Oakland by the 8½-mile San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge. In 1937 it was joined to sparsely settled, residential Marin County, across the Gate, by the mighty Golden Gate Span. Before that, motorists used to pay a minimum toll of 60¢ to be barged over the same routes on ferries owned by the Southern Pacific Company. Last year, with both bridges charging a 50¢ toll, the ferries began to undersell them by charging 30¢ one way, 50¢ round trip. San Francisco suspected that the Southern Pacific’s rate-cutting didos might have something to do with the road’s scheme to sell its ferry franchise to the State Toll Bridge Authority for some $3,750,000. Last summer the Authority appealed to the State Railroad Commission to force the Southern Pacific to increase its ferry rates to 50¢.

Last week the Railroad Commission brought forth a Solomonesque decision. Southern Pacific’s Gate ferry to Marin County’s Sausalito landing, paralleling the deficit-ridden Golden Gate Bridge, must cease operation by July 28. Its Bay ferry, flanking the money-making San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge, may continue to operate at its present rates. Reasons: the Sausalito Ferry, which was losing money at the rate of $200,000 annually, “should not be permitted to injure itself . . . for the purpose of diverting traffic from its competitor.” The Bay ferry, economically justified (seven-month net operating profit, as of February 28: $58,286), was a public service in which ”a substantial portion of the public has found satisfaction.”