All it takes for Barry Hobbis to realize the value in his company's Baseline commuter ferry service is to drive back to town from Colwood during morning rush hour.

Hobbis, founder and vice-president of operations for the West Bay Marina-based Victoria Harbour Ferry Inc., has occasion to check on things at Baseline's West Shore dock at D jetty on Department of National Defence land.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been bumper-to-bumper just trying to get back to my office downtown,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚t still amazes me that that kind of traffic exists. And it continues to get worse.B次元官网网址�

Baseline was introduced in May as a private venture, when CFB Esquimalt cancelled its Blue Boat shuttle for naval and Dockyard personnel who live on the West Shore. The company recently expanded its service to include Victoria Shipyards workers, instituting runs leaving Colwood at 5:40 and 5:50 a.m. to accommodate the early shifts.

Baseline's daily passenger load has grown to more than 500, without being open to the general public. Currently, all passengers must have DND security clearance.

B次元官网网址淪tudies have shown that 48 per cent of (base and shipyards workers) live on the West Shore,B次元官网网址� Hobbis says.

Of the company's three 40-passenger boats, two operate continually and the third is used when the demand calls for it. That has been more often lately, as the popularity of the service grows. With Seaspan due to ramp up its operations soon at the Esquimalt Graving Dock, more capacity will be needed, Hobbis says.

B次元官网网址淲e have to be very aware of capacity," he says. B次元官网网址淭he last thing we want to do is leave people standing on the dock.B次元官网网址�

The company has been actively looking for a larger boat for the past six months, in places as far flung as Texas and Greece. B次元官网网址淭hey're everywhere,B次元官网网址� Hobbis says.

While the Colwood Crawl B次元官网网址� a more appropriate name might be the West Shore Wait B次元官网网址� continues to fuel calls for light rail and other forms of rapid transit, the success of the water commuter service makes more and more sense, he adds.

B次元官网网址淚n terms of future transportation modes, I think we'll recognize even more so that water is the way to travel when you live on an Island,B次元官网网址� Hobbis says.

Victoria Harbour Ferry is also among the groups looking into possible commuter service from the Royal Bay development in Colwood to downtown Victoria.

Hobbis says cities such as New York, Boston and Seattle recognize that using the water to create B次元官网网址渃onnecting pointsB次元官网网址� for commuters can reduce road congestion.