||| FROM KOMO NEWS |||
SEATTLE — Headed into the last summer holiday of 2024 when thousands plan to take a ferry, cancellations and delays alter many routes operated by Washington State Ferries (WSF).
WSF announced that the Seattle/Bainbridge route is operating on a one-boat service due to a crew shortage on Tuesday. WSF posted a travel alert that the Bainbridge 10:25 a.m. and Seattle 11:25 a.m. departures were canceled.
When someone can’t make their shift for any reason at all, dispatch starts working the call list to find someone who can fill in last minute. Dispatch did find someone mid-day Tuesday, and WSF said they expect to restore that route to its usual two-boat service with the 2:05 p.m. departures.
A similar issue hit the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route. A WSF travel alert said the 64-car Salish has replaced the 124-car Kittitas on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth due to a crew shortage.
At 1:12 p.m. WSF posted that the #4 inter-island vessel would likely be out of service in the evening due to lack of crew. It will be out of service beginning with the 5:30 p.m. Friday Harbor sailing.
Over the past few years, WSF has experienced crew shortages which have caused delays and cancellations.
A few weeks ago, KOMO News reported that WSF had 21 boats in its fleet, but only 15 were currently in service.
I had the ferry warnings on but they occurred do frequently I had to stop them. What ferry “system”?