As protesters target Google buses as symbols of the gentrification that's sending San Francisco rents and evictions soaring, Google is now chartering a ferry to take its workers from San Francisco to Silicon Valley.
The boat is set to carry about 150 workers at a time from a pier near Google's San Francisco offices to Redwood City, about 22 miles south on San Francisco Bay. The commuters will reportedly still have to board a bus to make the rest of the trip to Google headquarters in Mountain View.
The move, first reported by local CBS affiliate KPIX, seems aimed at defusing tensions that have led to blockades and vandalism of the ubiquitous shuttles, which make use of public San Francisco bus stops.
"We certainly don't want to cause any inconvenience to SF residents, and we're trying alternative ways to get Googlers to work," Google said in a statement.
But taking to the water -- especially in the unfortunately christened Triumphant -- will do little to reverse the economic polarization in the city that's the real source of resentment toward the buses.
In a well-documented pattern, Silicon Valley's largest, most successful companies -- not just Google -- are relying on San Francisco to house their growing workforces. The desire of young tech workers to live in an exciting urban environment rather than the suburbs is part of the dynamic. But demand for housing in the less dense Valley also simply outstrips supply, as reflected by some of the country's highest median home prices.
The buses ease what is otherwise a miserable drive from San Francisco to points south. The comfy coaches are Wi-Fi-enabled, which turn them into the rolling equivalent of Google's offices. They also keep the parking lots of tech company campuses from being overwhelmed by cars.
By making the commute easier, the buses also remove a key obstacle that might otherwise discourage well-paid tech workers from making San Francisco their home. This influx has been a key factor in driving up San Francisco housing costs, along with the city's own thriving tech industry. Offering a ferry as another commute option doesn't do anything to stanch the flow of workers up and down the peninsula. On the contrary, adding yet another option would only seem to make that commute even easier.
It might be hard for anyone who lives outside the San Francisco Bay Area to appreciate the intensity of the emotions generated by the Google buses. Though far from the root cause of the region's growing economic disparity, they have become its most potent icon.
Google didn't help its cause on the community relations front by using the public transit stops for its private service. This week, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, an aggressive tech industry booster, announced an agreement with Google and other tech companies to charge for permits to use city bus stops. The expected cost is $100,000 per bus per year.
That money could quell criticism that Google and others are taking advantage of the city without giving anything back. But it won't do anything to bring down rents. Nor will a ferry. Until the rising tide of tech wealth lifts a lot more boats in the city, the anger stoked by the feeling of being pushed out of San Francisco won't go away.
