WSF Weekly Report | 75th anniversary celebrations; engine room training; great kudo

||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

A message from Steve

On Monday, Washington State Ferries marked the 75th anniversary of the state taking over Washington’s ferry service. For 75 years, the state ferry system has connected communities across Washington and has been part of everyday life for millions of people. Ferries have carried workers, students, families, visitors and entire communities across Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. The state’s decision to take over ferry service in 1951 reflected the understanding ferries are an extension of the state highway system. They are a public service and a lifeline for many communities.

Colleagues from across our organization joined me atop the Space Needle Monday morning to raise a special 75th anniversary flag. The flag flew throughout the day to celebrate our system’s past, present and future. Photo courtesy the Space Needle.

A flag featuring our 75th anniversary logo will fly on all operating ferries throughout June. The logo was designed by terminal employee Adam Runestrand and fine-tuned by our agency’s graphics team.

As we celebrate this anniversary, we are also focused firmly on the future. We are in the middle of one of the most significant modernization efforts in our history. In recent years, we have worked hard to stabilize the system, rebuild our workforce and restore reliability while operating within the realities of an aging fleet and a limited number of spare vessels. While there is still work ahead, we are making progress. Plans are moving forward to build new vessels, modernize terminal infrastructure and strengthen the long-term reliability of the system. Investments in workforce development and training are also helping ensure we have the people needed to support the next generation of ferry service in Washington state.

Terminal employee Ken Cross hands a 75th anniversary sticker to a customer at the ticket booth at Colman Dock. They were available to riders on all routes while supplies lasted. 

The Seattle Great Wheel was one of several regional landmarks to light up in ferry green Monday night in honor of our 75th anniversary. 

I was born in 1980, and recently found myself looking at a projected vessel lifespan chart for our future ferries that extended beyond 2080. It struck me some of the decisions we are making today about vessels, infrastructure and workforce development will still be shaping this system long after my own lifetime. That is both humbling and motivating. Our future will depend on balancing long-term modernization with the day-to-day responsibility of keeping communities connected safely and reliably. “Boats. Communities. Trust.” captures that responsibility. Reliable boats connect communities. Connected communities build trust. And trust is earned every day through the dedication of the people who operate and support this system.

To everyone who works at WSF or rides with us and supports this system, thank you for being part of our first 75 years and the future ahead.

Walla Walla Chief Engineer Scott Maddox speaks with the hosts of “The Daly Migs Show” during a live radio broadcast from the Edmonds/Kingston route on Friday. A recording of this segment and five others from May 29 is available on the KISW-FM 99.9 “The Rock” website.

New vehicle boarding process at Kingston terminal now in use daily

Vehicles boarding a ferry at our Kingston terminal now need a boarding pass daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. During these hours, a new traffic signal on eastbound State Route 104 before Lindvog Road directs ferry traffic into a designated area. Drivers then stop at an automated dispenser to get a boarding pass, like a parking garage ticket. After that, they wait for another signal that tells them when to proceed to the dock. The goal of this new system is to improve traffic flow during busy travel times and help prevent backups in downtown Kingston. Read our recent blog post for more information.

Vehicles boarding a ferry at our Kingston terminal must take a boarding pass from a kiosk just west of Lindvog Road from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Oct. 12. After that, it will switch to weekends only, except during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, until next year’s peak travel season.

Work begins to update schedules for Seattle routes

With the help of a community task force, we are starting the process to update the sailing schedules for our Seattle routes. The current timetables for our Bainbridge and Bremerton routes are out of date and have led to delays and poor on-time performance in recent years. The task force will represent the many people who use these routes. Members will review draft schedule ideas, talk through options and help guide how public feedback is used in the process. Their first meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 16. Prior registration is required to attend on Zoom. This meeting is the start of a multi-year planning effort. The new sailing schedules are expected to be in place in fall 2027. As work on this project progresses, there will be more chances for the public to share feedback and help shape the future of service on these routes.

Engine room training scholarship

Want to work in an engine room on one of our ferries? We’ve launched a new engine room training scholarship that opens the door to maritime training. Applicants must be Washington residents. They must also be enrolled in, or in contact with, a Qualified Member of the Engine Department training program in Washington, and plan to start classes within six months. Applicants must also have a Transportation Worker Identification Card and a Merchant Mariner Credential or show that they have applied for an MMC. Scholarships are awarded on a first come, first served basis while funding lasts. Approved applicants can receive up to $6,250 for tuition only. After finishing the program, participants must complete required sea time through their training provider before they can test for QMED certification. This is one of many ways we are working to attract the best people from all backgrounds. We want to create clear pathways into long-term careers with us as we look to not just build but stabilize our workforce well into the future.

Tacoma Chief Engineer Sam Shelton, one of our lead engine lab instructors, guides Seattle Maritime Academy students through removing power assembly rocker gear. SMA offers a QMED program, and we regularly partner with them to give students a hands-on experience with our training engines, which are similar to those that power most of our ferries.

Celebrating Pride

June is Pride Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on how different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives strengthen the world we live in. Pride is about visibility, belonging and respect. It also honors the courage it takes to live authentically in a world that has not always made space for everyone. At Washington State Ferries, we are committed to treating all people fairly – our employees and our customers. This matters because people do their best work when they feel respected and supported. It also helps us build a stable and strong workforce. As we celebrate Pride this month, I encourage everyone to take part in events supporting our LGBTQ+ community. Our agency is proud to march again in the Seattle Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28.

We will fly the Pride flag on both our Port Townsend/Coupeville route ferries on Saturday, June 6, in recognition of Port Townsend Pride that day.

Orca Action Month

June is Orca Action Month and we play an important role in protecting the waters where southern resident killer whales live and travel. We are proud to partner with the Orca Network, which created this awareness month in 2007. We support several other marine mammal conservation efforts. Our employees report whale sightings through Ocean Wise’s Whale Report Alert System. We also take part in programs led by Quiet Sound, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation, or ECHO Program, and the state’s Southern Resident Orca Recovery website. Most of our crew members have completed the ECHO Program’s Whales in Our Waters training. Last year, we partnered with Quiet Sound to install the state’s first thermal imaging camera for nighttime whale detection. The camera helps crews and other vessels spot whales day and night, giving them more time to slow down and safely avoid them.

Throughout June, a handful of our terminals are hosting life-sized orca dorsal fins as part of the Orca Behavior Institute’s 20 Years Endangered project. This one at our Southworth terminal is just one of 75 fins – one for each living southern resident – on display across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Made from materials like wood, paint, cardboard, glass, metal and fabric, the fins help raise awareness about these endangered whales and the need to protect them.

The Great Ferry Race on Seattle/Bainbridge route Sunday, June 7

Give yourself some extra time if your ferry plans take you to Bainbridge Island Sunday morning, June 7. Hundreds of participants in The Great Ferry Race will be aboard our 7:55 a.m. sailing from Seattle. After arriving at Bainbridge and once all vehicles have unloaded, runners will begin a half marathon around the island. Traffic delays are possible until the event wraps up, which is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Great Ferry Race will begin shortly after our ferry arrives at Bainbridge terminal around 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Photo courtesy of Orca Running.

Sailing stats for week of May 25-31

For the week of May 25-31, our systemwide on-time performance (sailings that left within 10 minutes of their scheduled departure) was 84.2%. By comparison, it was 81.1% during a similar week last year (May 26 to June 1, 2025). To view our on-time performance by month going back to 2017, visit our on-time performance reports page.

Customer kudos

“… Two of my friends got married on Saturday on the ferry route from Seattle to Bainbridge. We coordinated well and made sure to carpool all attendees (~30) in cars to ensure we all get on the same ferry. The groom left the car and walked on to secure a spot on the boat for the ceremony. Turns out he ended up on the wrong ferry… 

“Our friend Joe spoke with one of the terminal employees Beth (Huffington), and she was a true hero. She helped us out by navigating our cars to get in (line) for the next next ferry (that the groom would be coming back on from Bainbridge), and helped us all get in the same line that would ensure we’d all be together. She was so nice, approachable, and friendly.”

-Seattle/Bainbridge route customer