Posts Tagged ‘TheBoat’

TheBoat which ran into problems early in it’s operation can be seen here cruising into Honolulu Harbor on it’s way to Aloha Tower.

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As Anthony wrote not too long ago the commuter ferry TheBoat was going to have free wi-fi service available for passengers. Well now it does!

For those passengers utilizing the newest addition to the states public transportation you can get a head start on your day (especially nice if you want to have an extra early Aloha Friday). The wireless service is available for those laptop users that travel between Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower.

Also if you want to give your opinion on the service of the new commuter ferry you can check out their website at www.trytheboat.com. It would be interesting to know how the wireless service is, fast, slow, medium. Let us know by commenting below if you’ve tried it out.

After Oahu’s second commuter ferry ran into problems on Monday morning the new service looked to be headed the way of the Hawaii Superferry.

But, with two days to work on the boat, the Rachel Marie, and a part flown in, the commuter ferry is back up and running on it’s normal schedule from Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower.

Passengers of the ferry can enjoy the last 3 days of the week with free service on both boats.

The second commuter ferry running from Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower was delayed again today as workers try and fix engine problems.

TheBoat, which is the water based transit equal to TheBus, has been running test runs for about a week now and was supposed to start a second boat, the Rachel Marie, on Monday. The boat was scheduled to run and had 39 people ready to ride but was delayed and eventually canceled forcing those passengers to ride TheBus instead.

TheBoat is still running the other vessel and is running it’s promotional offer of FREE! through the remainder of the week. Hopefully they’ll get this boat up and running so the project doesn’t sink.

TheBoat breaks down and strands passengers. Well maybe not totally stranded. They were able to take TheBus into town and maybe make it to where they were going.

The Rachel Marie, the other TheBoat began having engine problems early in the morning. 39 passengers were ready to ride TheBoat from Kalaeloa Harbor to Aloha Tower and were instead treated to a lovely ride on The Bus.

I’m not sure if TheBoat is going to be the best idea to ease traffic congestion on Oahu’s roads. I’m sure it will be nice for those 149 possible passengers that can ride each boat (there are supposed to be two of them) but with all the problems this early in the pilot program, aren’t people going to be a little less likely to ride the boat in the future.

Who am I to talk though. I don’t have a solution to the traffic problems.

Yes you read that right. If you read Dr. J’s article about TheBoat, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that TheBoat is also adding FREE WiFi for the riders in the next couple of weeks. This is very very good news, especially for people who want to get some work done before they get to town during the one hour ride, or just cruising the internet to kill some time.

And, for those of you who have the iPod Touch, you can use the WiFi capabilities on the boat to log onto the internet for free. This is a great alternative especially if you don’t want to purchase the iPhone to use the internet.

I think this is a great incentive to use TheBoat to get to town and back. Not only is it a casual relaxing ride, but now you can also use the internet as well. You can’t say that if you drive a car. You also can’t say that if you’re catching the bus either. Heck, you can’t even do that on the airplane unless you pay for it! And for $2, the normal price of admission on the bus, you can ride TheBoat with free internet.

Really, this is a great idea. I’m glad they are looking out for the consumers. Now, hopefully we can switch gears and talk about TheBus instead of the Super Ferry…

Are you getting tired of dealing with the traffic jam coming from the west side in the morning and going back to the west side in the afternoon? You like the idea of public transportation but are not a big fan of the Bus? Do you like looking at the ocean all day long, even when you are commuting?

You are in luck. The Boat (a close sister of the Bus) will start its operation from September 17th. The first ferry leaves the Kalaeloa Harbor at 5:30 a.m. and the second one at 8:00 a.m. Unfortunately, one of the originally-scheduled two ferries was not cleared for operation in Hawaiian waters for at least one more week, so an express bus will replace the ferry that was scheduled for 6:00 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. The Boat is 72 feet long and 30 feet wide and can carry up to 149 passengers. The boat travels at 25-28 knots (30-35 mph), and it takes approximately an hour from the Kalaeloa Harbor to the Aloha Tower. You can bring your bike or stroller and enjoy light snacks and drinks. One-way fare is $2, and you can also use your bus pass for the Boat as well. There is no parking at the Kalaeloa Harbor, but a parking lot is planned in the Kapolei area. However, you can take the new bus line that stops at Waianae, Kapolei, and Makakilo to go to the Kalaeloa Harbor. Once you get off at the Aloha Tower, buses will go to the UH-Manoa and Waikiki via Ala Moana.

There will be an open house (should it be an open boat?) event at the Aloha Tower Pier 9 tomorrow, September 16th from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. You can tour the ferry, meet the crew, and get to know your new exciting transit option. Kids will enjoy getting on the Boat and get cookies and balloons.

If you want to find more information, please visit www.trytheboat.com.

Please please, no demonstrators for this ferry…