SF Bay Ferry is proposing fare increases across most of its routes, with a public hearing scheduled for Thursday. Before you grab your pitchfork, let's talk numbers: most routes would see a bump of no more than 30 cents. The one exception is the Alameda Short Hop — the quick jaunt from Main Street in Alameda to Jack London Square in Oakland — which would jump by $1.75.

Look, we're generally allergic to anything that makes Bay Area life more expensive. But context matters here. During the pandemic, the ferry system actually lowered fares and expanded service — a rare instance of a public transit agency doing something that made fiscal sense to attract riders when ridership cratered. As one local put it, "This fare increase is a small price to pay to keep it going."

And that's the real question: is the ferry system earning its keep? Unlike certain transit agencies in this region (cough BART cough), the ferry has generally delivered a clean, reliable, and — dare we say — pleasant commuting experience. Thirty cents more for that? Fine. We spend more than that on the phantom "service fee" tacked onto every coffee order in this city.

The $1.75 hike on the Short Hop is harder to shrug off. That's a 30%+ increase on what's essentially a neighborhood connector. If you're using that route daily, it adds up. The ferry system should be transparent about why that specific route needs a disproportionate bump — is it underperforming? Are operational costs genuinely higher? Riders deserve an answer, not just a new price tag.

Thursday's public hearing is your chance to weigh in. We'd encourage anyone who uses the ferry to actually show up and ask pointed questions about where the money goes. Public transit only stays accountable when the public actually holds it accountable.

Thirty cents? We'll live. But we'll be watching.