SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — One Bay Area transit system is the highest-rated in the nation, according to data released last week. The San Francisco Bay Ferry enjoys a customer satisfaction rate of 99%, according to the data, which was released on Thursday by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA).

The data was collected during the ferry service’s 2022 passenger survey, which was conducted in July and August of this year, according to a press release from SF Bay Ferry. The 99% satisfaction rating makes the service the nation’s top, in terms of customer satisfaction.

According to the press release, the survey, conducted by CDM Smith, collected important information from a “statistically valid sample” of 963 SF Bay Ferry passengers to identify changes in rider demographics and sentiments in the wake of fare cuts and service increases instituted in 2021 as part of WETA’s Pandemic Recovery Program.

The 99% satisfaction rate is an improvement on the ferry’s previous best rate, 88% back in 2017. Forty-two percent of surveyed passengers were new ferry riders who didn’t use the service prior to 2020. The number of riders who cited affordability as a reason to choose the ferry over other modes of travel also rose from 7% in 2017 to 18% in 2022, the press release states.

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“It’s hard to do better than 99%, and we have the excellent work of our captains and crews to thank,” said WETA Executive Director Seamus Murphy. “In an effort to maximize ridership return, we’ve prioritized passenger experience over the last year, and it’s great to see those efforts pay off. I’m especially proud that the number of riders who are ‘very satisfied’ with the service has doubled during pandemic recovery from 38% to 76%.”

Over the past three months, the SF Bay Ferry has hit nearly 80% of its pre-pandemic ridership, according to the press release. Currently, the service offers 152 weekday transbay tips and 57 weekend departures.