When it comes to easing O'ahu's traffic crunch, it's all about options. Providing a healthy array of choices for commuters should be at the heart of any transit plan for Honolulu.

So it's encouraging to see the city pulling out all the stops to promote its new commuter ferry service, which launched last week.

In addition to free beverages and fares for the initial runs, the city just announced free wireless Internet service to sweeten the pot. Commuters can now surf the Web or get some work done, rather than sit in their cars, stewing in gridlock.

Beyond that, keeping fares affordable — $2, which includes up to two bus transfers — and enhancing the system of shuttle buses connecting ferry commuters to their destinations, is a smart way to go.

Sure, there were some kinks: Bumpy rides early on resulted in ferry operators adjusting the vessel's speed to accommodate choppy seas. That didn't stop some City Council members, however, from questioning city folks over "customer comfort," asking what percentage of passengers got seasick. That would be 2 percent.

To be sure, TheBoat isn't for everyone. Commuters who tend to get seasick obviously won't choose this option. But others will, and have. By the end of the week, the city's pau hana ferry run had to turn some ferry riders away after the boat reached its maximum capacity. Those who missed the boat, so to speak, were given free rides on a special express bus, in keeping with the city's policy of leaving no ferry riders stranded.

With the planned transit system years away, finding innovative ways to keep commuters moving is crucial. So here's to the city's efforts get commuters on board with the commuter ferry. It's all about options — and TheBoat provides just that.