The three major vehicle-carrying ferry operations on the west coast of North America are fairly well known: the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) in Alaska, BC Ferries in British Columbia and Washington State Ferries serving Puget Sound ports. Less well known is the Mexican ferry company Baja Ferries, which operates several services across the Gulf of California, connecting the long Baja California peninsula with the Mexican mainland.
For many years Mexico’s Department of Roads and Bridges operated limited ferry services within Mexico under its Transbordadores SA (ferryboats) banner, and in 1964 acquired the new ro-ro ferry La Paz from Japanese builders to operate a service between La Paz and Mazatlan.