WSF Weekly Report | Holiday traffic; broken boats; Governor’s plan for new boats

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

A message from Steve

We’ve had an unfortunate start to the new year and thank our customers for bearing with us as we get things back on track. Unexpected mechanical issues sidelined three ferries over the first three days of January, affecting several routes:

• Seattle/Bremerton: On New Year’s Day, a propeller on Walla Walla was damaged. With limited dry dock availability, the earliest we could get the vessel into a shipyard was next week. Both of the ferry’s propellers will be replaced at Everett Ship Repair. This work is expected to take two to three weeks. After that, Walla Walla will go to our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for its scheduled annual maintenance and inspection through the end of February. Chimacum is providing one-boat service until we have 17 vessels available for full winter service.
• Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: A propulsion issue knocked Kittitas out on Friday. The ferry was repaired at Vashon terminal and returned to service on Tuesday. Cathlamet and Kittitas are operating on the route’s two-boat schedule with Salish as a bonus, unscheduled third boat.
• Seattle/Bainbridge: An oil tube problem caused us to remove Tacoma from service Saturday night. Repairs are expected to be finished next week. The smaller Kitsap is filling in, serving alongside Wenatchee.
• Mukilteo/Clinton: On Tuesday, we replaced Kitsap with the smaller Sealth. This change was part of an adjustment to our vessel lineup so we could provide the best service possible across the system with the ferries we have available.

Even with regular upkeep, mechanical issues can still arise. Our boats are complex machines, and some parts can wear out unexpectedly. This photo shows Issaquah during a scheduled dry docking in 2024. All our ferries must go into dry dock at scheduled intervals to meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements. Taking a vessel out of the water allows for comprehensive inspections, repairs and maintenance that help prevent breakdowns and extend a boat’s lifespan.

These recent setbacks underscore the need to keep investing in new vessels and in the care of our aging fleet. As we head into the upcoming legislative session, we are prepared to share what is needed to support a reliable ferry system. At the same time, our employees take great pride not only in returning vessels like Tacoma and Walla Walla to service as quickly and safely as possible, but in doing the careful, skilled work that keeps our boats in good working order.

Governor’s budget plan adds more new ferries, keeps oldest boats running

Gov. Bob Ferguson released his proposed 2026 supplemental budgets late last month. His plan adds $1 billion for up to three new 160-auto hybrid-electric ferries, on top of the three already funded. It also includes $150 million for preservation and maintenance to keep our oldest boats (Tillikum, Kaleetan and Yakima) in service until the new vessels arrive. This funding is on top of our base budget. His proposal also keeps our operating and capital budget mostly the same, with only small changes from the 2025-27 transportation budget. Lawmakers will review the governor’s plan during the 60-day legislative session. The session runs from Monday, Jan. 12, through Thursday, March 12. We look forward to supporting the governor’s proposal and communicating our critical issues with the Legislature during this process.

With Gov. Bob Ferguson during the announcement of his supplemental transportation budget proposal on Dec. 19.

Nearly 700,000 passengers aboard for the holidays

The holiday season is one of our busiest times of the year. Thank you to my colleagues who worked to keep our ferries moving. While many were spending time with family and friends, many of our employees were on the job serving the communities that depend on us. From Dec. 19-31, we carried nearly 700,000 passengers across our system. We will share a closer look at our ridership numbers for all of 2025 next week.

As expected, our peak days were centered around the weekend before and after Christmas Day. Saturday, Dec. 27, was our busiest with more than 72,000 passengers.

Reminder: Online meetings Wednesday, Jan. 21

Don’t forget – we’re hosting online community meetings on Wednesday, Jan. 21. This is your chance to share feedback and ask us questions. We’ll start with a brief presentation reviewing highlights from 2025 and our priorities for 2026. We’ll also share the latest on our new vessel construction, terminal upgrades needed for charging, our Service Contingency Plan, workforce development efforts and current budget and legislative outlook. Most of the time will be set aside for questions and discussion. Advance registration is required for the noon and 6 p.m. sessions. You’re also welcome to submit questions or comments ahead of time by email. If you’re unable to join live, recordings will be available on our community participation page on Thursday, Jan. 22.

Both online community meetings will cover the same information.

Mukilteo/Clinton route midday closures underway

Construction work affecting service on our Mukilteo/Clinton route began this week. Today is the second of nine weekdays of suspended service for four hours from midmorning to early afternoon. On these dates, the last morning sailings are 8:30 a.m. from Clinton and 9 a.m. from Mukilteo. Service resumes at 1 p.m. from Clinton and 1:30 p.m. from Mukilteo. We are using this time to make critical repairs to an in-water structure at Mukilteo terminal. Late-night service will also be adjusted starting Monday, Jan. 19. On 15 nights through Friday, Feb. 20, the route’s final round trip will be canceled.

Our Mukilteo terminal’s west wing wall is being repaired and repositioned after being damaged in 2022. These updates will help keep the in-water structure safe and strong for years to come.

Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge temporarily closed

Seattle’s Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge closed on Monday. There is a temporary around-the-clock detour for our foot passengers at Colman Dock. The bridge will be closed for about four weeks. The closure, a city decision, is needed for a demolition project alongside the elevated walkway that was permitted by the Seattle Department of Transportation. All access to and from Colman Dock will be at street level. Pedestrians must use the elevators or stairs in the entry building or next to the passenger-only terminal, and crosswalks and city streets to cross Alaskan Way. We know this will add extra time for many of our customers, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Sign up for rider alerts to get the latest information and updates on the closure.

The Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge connecting Colman Dock with downtown Seattle is temporarily closed. Signs are up at Colman Dock showing the two pedestrian street-level routes.

Puget Sound Traders opens at Colman Dock

We welcomed our first new vendor to Colman Dock late last month. Puget Sound Traders is now open in the northeast corner of our Seattle terminal building, near the Bainbridge turnstiles. This opening marks the beginning of more food and retail options coming to the terminal. In the months ahead, we expect to add P.S. Perks Espresso & Coffee, Kathmandu MoMoCha, Knot’s Landing pretzels and a new smoothie concept. With additional street-level and pop-up retail spaces still available, we’re continuing to explore ways to bring more convenience, choice and comfort to everyone who travels through Colman Dock.

Puget Sound Traders uses Amazon’s “just walk out” technology, allowing customers to grab what they need and be on their way without stopping at a checkout.

Rendering of P.S. Perks Espresso & Coffee. Construction began yesterday in the main passenger waiting area and is expected to wrap up in April. Public and ADA access will remain open around the work area.

National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and Sunday, Jan. 11, is “Wear Blue Day” to help raise awareness. At Washington State Ferries, we are taking action to help stop this crime. All new fleet and terminal employees must complete a training called “Ports to Freedom: Human Trafficking Prevention.” The course was created by the Seattle nonprofit Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking, also known as BEST. The training teaches employees how to spot warning signs and how to respond safely. As of the end of 2025, 560 of our employees have completed the class. We also partnered with BEST on their “Not Alone” campaign. This campaign supports people who may be facing coercion or violence at work or in the sex trades. You can see these messages on our vessels and in our terminals. Safety is a shared responsibility. We are proud to do our part to support our communities.

Sailing stats for week of Dec. 15-21, Dec. 22-28 and Dec. 29 to Jan. 4

For the week of Dec. 15-21, we completed 98% of our 3,059 scheduled sailings. This figure is separate from on-time performance. Of the 65 cancellations, 20 were due to vessel-related issues, 18 for weather, 12 because of crewing, eight due to other miscellaneous reasons, four for tidal currents and three because of terminal-related issues.

For comparison, during a similar week last year (Dec. 16-22, 2024), we completed 99.1% of our 2,789 scheduled sailings. Of the 30 cancellations that week, 12 were due to weather, five for crewing, four because of terminal-related issues, four due to other miscellaneous reasons, three for schedule resets (when a boat is so far behind schedule, we cancel a sailing to get it back on schedule, providing predictability for customers) and two because of tidal currents.

For the week of Dec. 22-28, we completed 98.4% of our 3,028 scheduled sailings. Of the 54 cancellations, 25 were due to crewing, 14 for vessel-related issues, eight because of weather, five due to schedule resets, one for an emergency and one because of other miscellaneous reasons.

For comparison, during a similar week last year (Dec. 23-29, 2024), we completed 97.9% of our 2,790 scheduled sailings. Of the 68 cancellations that week, 31 were due to crewing, 12 for weather, 10 because of terminal-related issues, six due to tidal currents, five for vessel-related issues, two because of an emergency, one due to a schedule reset and one for other miscellaneous reasons.

For the week of Dec. 29 to Jan. 4, we completed 97.3% of our 2,995 scheduled sailings. Of the 81 cancellations, 41 were because of vessel-related issues, 22 due to crewing and 18 for tidal currents.

For comparison, during a similar week last year (Dec. 30, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025), we completed 99.5% of our 2,732 scheduled sailings. Of the 17 cancellations that week, eight were because of tidal currents, eight due to terminal-related issues and one for a schedule reset.

Customer kudos

“Yesterday 12/26/2025 Kennewick ferry (Coupeville-Port Townsend) 11:45 and 2:30PM return. My husband and I want to thank the crew, ferry dock workers, and the amazing captain (Robert Rothschiller) for an incredible trip. Even though it was the holidays, everyone was kind and friendly. But most importantly, the waters/weather were treacherous, the captain did an awesome job of getting us all across safely and in such a calm manner. We really appreciate all their hard work and keeping everyone safe during our travels.”

“A huge thank you and good job to the whole crew of the Kennewick ferry that ran from Coupeville to Port Townsend on the 11:45 am run today (12/26). That was a rough crossing that could have gone very wrong without the expertise and skill of all of the crew. Well done!”

-Port Townsend/Coupeville route customers

2025 Year in Review

Next week, we’ll be sharing our 2025 Year in Review with everyone who receives this newsletter. It will arrive in your inbox next week. This yearly recap looks back at the progress we made together, highlighting key accomplishments, major milestones and memorable moments from the past year. I’m proud of what our team has achieved and grateful to everyone who supports Washington State Ferries.