— from KING5News.com —
SEATTLE – Washington State Ferries acknowledged Tuesday it’s considering changes to the new reservation system in the San Juans.
Brian Churchwell, WSF manager of financial accountability, told the Washington State Transportation Commission that the agency is considering raising fees in the wake of multiple cancellations and no-shows on the routes, to ease islanders concerns about reduced availability.
Several islanders, including Lopez resident Becca Peter, testified in front of the commission, raising issues about how difficult it has been to plan simple errands off the island.
WSF implemented the reservation system earlier this year to help with delays often associated with the summer months.
…TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE
This is 80% spin, folks, those of us who live in the islands have experienced a nightmarish sequence of problems with the new reservation system. We have no state highway system here, though we pay those taxes, and also high ferry fares. The solution to their administrative glitches on refunds and no-shows is to charge us more?!?! The solution is to take responsibility for WA state ferry system problems and fix them!!! Because we know they won’t go back on this additional revenue stream. At least it should be fair & equitable, instead of our having to spend collectively thousands of hours on the phone trying to get a valid refund posted, or setting our alarm clocks for the 5 minute window in which we might get a reservation…it’s difficult to get to important doctor appointments on the mainland, for example.
I actually have experienced the reservation system working for me. I’ve been able to reserve two weeks or two days prior to sailing. sometimes it has been necessary to choose a later ferry, but I have to say that I have spent far less time in ferry lines this summer compared to other summers. I really hope the costs are not increased.
Lyn,
Like you, we’ve had almost uniformly positive experience with the reservation system, once we became familiar with it. We’ve saved literally dozens of boring hours of sitting in the queues. I applaud WSF for implementing it.
At the same time, I’m confident that improvements are possible, so I’m glad to learn that system management is open to change.
Well done. Now if we can just modernize the fleet…and it looks positive on that front as well. But I’ll not be shocked to see the Evergreen State once more plying our waters!
s
Generally speaking I like the reservation system and have found it works for us. I do support the idea of increasing the No Show Fee, provided the condition remains that it is waived if you catch a different sailing to the same destination on the same day. Weed out those who are making placeholder reservations, risking only $10. A 10% no-show rate is a problem and the minimal fee risk is probably the biggest cause of that issue.
To clarify the “fee” mentioned in the article: it is the “no-show” fee, assessed as Don says. The difficulty some have had getting a refund for being wrongly assessed has nothing to do with the amount of the fee. I, too support the increase; not many other options available to bring the no-show % down, and therefore provide more reservation and drive-up space.
I also find the ferry alerts helpful for my planning.
I love the reservation system, last week I arrived at the booth
in Anacortes one hour before departure and there was no line. It is so nice to be able to plan to get off the island without having to wait in line for hours. I know that some people make
more than one reservation and the system should be able to stop that practice. We make reservations for everything else, plane, hotels, car rental, etc Of course there is always room for some
improvement and WSF is looking at this new system and willing to
address the different problems.
I hear here that there are negatives and positives with the reservation system. I too have had both. The biggest problem for me is lack of flexibility. If I get done with errands early, I cannot go standby on an earlier boat without losing my original reservation. The old system worked much better for me.
Its working well for us. Hope improvements are actually improvements and not just grease to squeaky wheel that is more detrimental than helpful.
There is now a statement from WSF saying you will not be charged a no-show fee if you travel on the same day. Does that mean we can return early from the mainland on standby without being charged for not taking the later ferry? The biggest problem I have had is the discrepancy between the official statements and the on-the-ground policies.
I am a planner and prefer reservations to the practice of “hurry up and wait” at the ferry landing. Several times I have made reservations, then showed up for an earlier sailing and was able to get on the boat. I have never been charged a no show fee. That policy has not changed from the beginning.
The reservation system has worked well despite a couple bugs (now fixed).
I use the reservation system (occasionally) whenever I go off island and find the system meets my needs to assure I can travel when I want. the system is essentially user friendly and the bugs that exist are being worked out. my one bone to pick is the overly stringent password requirements which make my password undoubtably secure from everyone else but myself (who has to struggle to enter the long string of non sensical characters much less being able to remember them).