While the interisland Hawai'i Superferry plan is grabbing lots of attention, the city has moved ahead with a second ferry system to help commuters on O'ahu.

The new commuter ferry system could soon link West O'ahu with Downtown Honolulu and other neighborhoods, and officials are hoping it will stay afloat longer than similar operations that floundered after briefly sailing the same route.

Some important details — such as leasing the ferries and bringing them to Hawai'i — are still in the works, but the system could be running by July, when the Superferry is also scheduled to begin service from O'ahu to Maui and Kaua'i.

The O'ahu commuter ferry is being touted as more advanced than earlier systems, because shuttle buses will bring passengers to and from the ferry piers at no extra cost.

"The big difference is the dedicated shuttle service," said city transportation director Melvin Kaku. "Before, riders were left on their own."

SHUTTLE ROUTES

Five shuttle routes would serve Wai'anae, Makakilo, Kapolei, Waikiki and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

The city bus fare — currently adults pay $2 for a one-way trip — would be charged for the ferry and bus rides at each end. Monthly and annual bus passes would also be honored on the ferry.

No parking will be available at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor, where town-bound ferries would depart. But a park-and-ride facility may later be set up nearby.

The ferry ride to Aloha Tower would take one hour; bus ride times would vary depending on which route passengers take and where they board, Kaku said. The new bus service would not take buses away from existing routes, he said.

Though trips by bus and ferry may take longer than some freeway commutes, passengers would be able to plan a consistent schedule and enjoy their time on the boats, he said.

"For those working Downtown, it will be especially convenient," because they will be able to walk to work from the pier, Kaku said.

Wai'anae resident John Burgess, a construction worker who commutes some 60 miles round-trip to his work site in Waikiki, said the ferry plan sounded good.

"I leave at about 4:30, and that's when traffic starts. So, I've got to wake up earlier to beat the traffic so I can get to the job on time," he said. "People in Wai'anae are way in the back — we've got to beat people who are in 'Ewa, Kapolei, Waipahu and Pearl City — because traffic can get pretty bad. ... It can be terrible."

At $4 per day round-trip, the ferry might be an attractive alternative to fighting traffic and putting wear and tear on his new pickup, Burgess said.

The ferry system's life span, and its exact cost to taxpayers, are still being worked out. The city plans to spend a $5 million federal grant to run the ferries, and $1 million more in city funds to operate the buses, Kaku said.

The service would operate for at least a year, he said.

But the company that would run the ferries — Hornblower Marine Services — is seeking only a six-month deal to start, and has yet to present its final operations plan.

YEARLY COST?

Company vice president Greg Dronkert said he does not foresee any major obstacles to starting the system and hopes to lease two vessels this month. They would likely come from the West Coast and be shipped to Hawai'i on barges. Dronkert declined to say whether $5 million would be enough for a year's operations.

Cost estimates from several companies for a yearlong service were approximately $8 million, city records show.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann has been calling for the system since he took office in 2005, but has had a hard time getting it launched.

No companies responded with proposals when the city first offered a contract for the service last year, Kaku said. So direct negotiations with Hornblower were begun.

The firm is also overseeing construction of the Hawai'i Superferry, which is designed to carry vehicles as well as passengers.

The O'ahu commuter ferries would carry up to 149 passengers and make three trips per weekday in each direction. That's a maximum daily passenger count of 447 each way. It will be strictly a passenger ferry; no cars will be carried on board.

Several City Council members say they are hopeful the system will be a success, but have no illusions that it will do much to alleviate traffic congestion.

"If all we're doing is getting bus riders to take the ferry, I'm not sure we're accomplishing much," said City Council Chairwoman Barbara Marshall.

But it's important to try various transit options so commuters are not dependent on private cars, she said.

"I'm very hopeful that this will work," Marshall said. "I hope it takes people off the road. I hope it's more successful than the state's ill-fated experience."

The state operated the WikiWiki Ferry from Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower for about a year, ending in 2000. It was the third coastal ferry service in recent memory, and sailed twice per day with a one-way fare of $1.50. A combined average of 100 passengers rode every day at the high point. But toward the end — when a $3 million federal grant was running out — some of the 136-passenger boats carried fewer than 20.

'OLD HABITS DIE HARD'

Council transportation chairman Nestor Garcia said he hopes the new service will draw a loyal following.

"Old habits die hard, but I'm continually optimistic that people will pick up on something new in one year's time," he said.

If the system is continued beyond then, it should include bus service from 'Ewa, he said. A ferry stop at Iroquois Point or Ocean Pointe Marina should also be considered, he said.

Councilman Charles Djou said he likes the ferry plan but wonders how effective it will be.

"I compliment Mayor Hannemann for taking a look at this, and I'm happy that the bulk of the funding comes from the federal government," he said. "It's a creative idea, and another way to attack our traffic problems."

But with a maximum capacity of fewer than 450 passengers, the system won't take many cars off the road even if it is wildly successful, Djou said.

And there's one other thing to consider: the waves. Most small commuter ferries operate in sheltered bays and harbors that have relatively placid water, while large swells often visit O'ahu's coasts.

"How many people are going to be willing to stomach that — literally and figuratively — early in the morning?" Djou said.

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com and Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.