||| FROM NICOLE MCINTOSH for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||
Our busiest days since the summer of 2019
The state’s reopening and the start of summer are bringing us a surge in ridership. We carried almost 86,000 riders on the Saturday of Independence Day weekend (July 3). That beats our old pandemic high of nearly 80,000 the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend (May 29) and makes it our busiest day since Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019! Our second busiest was just this past Saturday, July 10, with more than 83,000 riders.
Ridership is about 15% below this time in 2019, with our Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Point Defiance/ Tahlequah closest to where they were two years ago.
With weekend ridership expected to be at or above these levels through summer, be prepared for long waits if coming aboard in a vehicle, especially during peak travel times. Before catching a ferry, I encourage everyone to sign up for rider alerts, check terminal conditions and consider vehicle reservations if driving on our Anacortes/San Juan Islands or Port Townsend/Coupeville routes.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal visits to discuss conversion to hybrid electric
WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar and Assistant Secretary Patty Rubstello had the honor of hosting Rep. Pramila Jayapal at our Seattle terminal last week. Congresswoman Jayapal is championing shoreside electrification at Colman Dock, including $4.2 million in funding in her federal transportation budget priority list. Thanks to Deputy Director of Vessel Engineering and Maintenance Eben Phillips, for leading the group on a tour of the engine room aboard Kaleetan and going over our system electrification plans.
WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar, Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Assistant Secretary Patty Rubstello at our Colman Dock in Seattle, which is an active construction site.
Out on our Mukilteo/Clinton and Port Townsend/ Coupeville routes
My boss has made it clear that it’s important we meet regularly with the people who keep our ferry system operating to hear their thoughts and ideas on how we can make improvements. Last week, Assistant Secretary Patty Rubstello and I spent a day with the crews on our Mukilteo/ Clinton and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes. I’d like to give a shout to all our employees who spent the time to chat with us – they do so much to make sure our riders are safe from the moment they enter one of our terminals to the moment they leave at their destination!
With Ordinary Seaman Brittany Langlois and Assistant Secretary Patty Rubstello aboard Chelan while docked in Mukilteo.
COVID-related changes for vessels and terminals
With the state lifting most pandemic-related restrictions on June 30, we are:
- Enforcing COVID-19 capacity limits
- Advising people coming aboard in a personal vehicle to remain in their vehicles
- Requiring tollbooth employees to use selfie sticks with self-swipe credit card readers (they may continue to if they choose)
- Closing off some seating or turnstiles
- We’re slowly reopening our drinking fountains, but many on board won’t reopen until the vessel’s potable water is turned back on.
- Our food vendor is working to slowly reopen our onboard galleys in the coming weeks on a vessel-by-vessel basis.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s public transportation order requires a face mask in all our indoor areas.
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