VOA慢速英語:工人們逃離舊金山聚滿人群的渡輪

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Commuting is often a major issue in America’s bigcities. Many people live outside cities, and spend a lot of time just going to and from work. Now, some San Francisco area commuters are beating thetraffic by taking ferry boats. A ferry ride can offer a nice change from busyroads and crowded trains.

Ferries are a small but growing part of the transportation solution in northernCalifornia. Historic cable cars may help visitors to San Francisco travelaround the city. But local people usually use cars, taxis and publictransportation, including the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail system. Ferry riderDan Haggerty really likes the two ferry systems on San Francisco Bay. Hesays they provide a much more pleasant ride from far away communities.

“It’s faster than the rail transit. And there’s nothing like being on the water in the morning, and coming home from work. It’s relaxing.”

Ferry passenger Christine Loehrlein says the ferry ride is a lot better than thetrip she once made by car.

“There is something about getting out of the bubble of being in a car and outinto an open environment that’s just so much more social and interactive. And on the ferry, people are really, really friendly.”

Whatever the weather, Bob Bodnar always takes a ferry ride.

“It’s always a good say to ride the ferry. Like I never regret taking the ferry towork instead of the train.”

Ernest Sanchez works for the San Francisco Bay Ferry. He says each boatis like a car pool, with more than one person making the trip.

“Some of our boats can carry, for example, up to 388 passengers, and sothat’s one large car pool. We take advantage of the natural road, which is theBay, and address the problem that way.”

Commuters board a ferry to San Francisco Oct. 21, 2013, from Jack London Square in Oakland, California.

Ferries have been moving people and their vehicles around San FranciscoBay for more than 150 years. The first ferry service was launched in the 1850s. Today, the ferry system includes more than 10 boats. They stop atports all around the Bay area.

Researchers are developing technology that could make the boats moreenergy efficient. They have been studying the high-tech sails on America’sCup racers. A firm wind-wing is a new kind of sail being tested on the Bay. The 14-meter tall device stands upright like a sail, but is made of lightweightcarbon fiber. A solar-powered computer helps to control its movement.

Early tests show fuel reductions of up to 25 percent when the wind- wing isconnected to a small boat. Tim Lipman works for the TransportationSustainability Research Center at the University of California at Berkeley.

“You can hold a certain course, to say, have a passenger ferry run along aprescribed course, and simply use the wing where it’s advantageous to assistthe boat moving forward, and then let it drift if it’s not advantageous and simplyuse the motor on the boat.”

Researchers are also exploring the idea of hybrid ferries – boats powered bytraditional fuel and electricity. Hybrid ferries with experimental sails are still afew years away in the future. But the current ferries offer a pleasant ride forthousands of people in the San Francisco Bay area. I’m Anne Ball.