WSF Weekly Report | Walk-ons for World Cup; 390,000 customers for July 4th

||| FROM JOHN VEZINA for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

A message from John

With Seattle’s six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches behind us, I’m proud of how my colleagues worked to plan and manage the increased demand we saw on match days. Daily ridership was up from last year on four match days: June 15, June 19, June 24 and July 6. The biggest increase came on June 19, Juneteenth, when we carried 13,000 more riders than on the same Friday in 2025. Helpfully, we noticed many customers choose to walk on instead of bringing a vehicle on match days. Thank you to everyone who made the switch. Our ferries rarely reach capacity for total passengers, but vehicle space is limited, especially during major events and peak times. The shift toward more walk-on passengers and fewer vehicles helped us move more people efficiently. It also highlighted the value of having Colman Dock within walking distance of Pioneer Square and the stadiums.

Extra staffing and security helped keep customers moving safely and efficiently following Monday evening’s match in Seattle.

Our ability to provide reliable service while the World Cup was in Seattle was the result of months of preparation, and in many ways, years of work building a more resilient system. We planned for backup vessels that could step in if another ferry experienced a mechanical problem that could not be fixed quickly. We also added extra vessel crews, more terminal and customer service staff, traffic control officers at terminals and enhanced security. This event provided us with a valuable real-life exercise that will help us improve how we prepare for and respond to future major events. While every situation is unique, each experience gives us new insight into what works well and where we can adjust. There is no better way to prepare than by learning from these experiences firsthand. We’ll continue listening, learning and improving so we can provide the reliable service our customers count on.

A U.S. Coast Guard escort on our Seattle/Bremerton route Monday evening was one example of the strong partnerships that supported our World Cup operations. We worked with the USCG, Washington State Patrol, local law enforcement and third-party security teams to help keep our system safe and welcoming.

Fourth of July weekend ridership

Over the busy Independence Day weekend, we carried nearly 390,000 people from Thursday, July 2, through Monday, July 6. Moving that many people safely and reliably during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year takes a team effort. We could not have done it without the hard work of my colleagues across our system. I’m especially grateful to our deck and engine room crews, on-call maintenance colleagues and terminal staff, especially those who worked extra hours or picked up extra watches to keep vessels in service. I also recognize and appreciate the hard work of those who support our operations behind the scenes – dispatchers who work tirelessly filling open crew positions, watch center supervisors who flawlessly coordinate daily operations and customer service agents who keep our customers informed on service changes. Their dedication helped hundreds of thousands of people get where they needed or wanted to go last weekend.

Friday, July 3, was our busiest day of the year so far, with more than 93,000 riders. That easily topped our previous high of just over 89,000 riders on Saturday, May 23.

King County roadwork near Vashon terminal early next week

If you’re travelling through our Vashon terminal early next week, keep in mind daytime roadwork is scheduled just south of the dock. Crews from the King County Department of Road Service Division will repair a sinkhole starting Sunday, July 12. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Wednesday, July 15, the southbound right lane leaving the terminal may be shut down. Flaggers will direct vehicles through the work zone when ferry traffic is offloading, as well as all pedestrians as the adjacent shoulder lane and sidewalk may also be closed. This work schedule may change due to weather, or crew or equipment availability. Visit King County’s My Commute Map for the latest.

The southbound right lane leaving our Vashon terminal may be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Sunday, July 12, through Wednesday, July 15. The shoulder lane and sidewalk may also be closed as King County crews repair a sinkhole.

Sailing stats for week of June 29 to July 5

For the week of June 29 to July 5, our systemwide on-time performance (sailings that left within 10 minutes of their scheduled departure) was 85.6%. By comparison, it was 77.7% during a similar week last year (June 30 to July 6, 2025). To view our on-time performance by month going back to 2017, visit our on-time performance reports page.

Customer kudos

“What started as a perfect day for a motorcycle ride took an unexpected turn when my friend’s bike died less than a mile after we rolled off the Seattle–Bainbridge ferry. Stranded on a Sunday with most motorcycle shops closed, we braced for a frustrating day trying to get home. Instead, we were met with kindness at every step. A ferry employee helped us troubleshoot, offered a jump, and pointed us toward a hardware store. When that hardware store didn’t have the right battery, they called around until they found someone who did. Thanks to several generous and knowledgeable strangers, what could have been a miserable experience became a memorable day exploring the island, rekindling my faith in the goodness of humanity. Please give kudos to your staff member, Ryan (Spilker, terminal employee), who was working at the Bainbridge ferry dock around 2pm. He was also attending the left-most toll booth when we caught the ~6pm ferry going back to Seattle. He was our first superhero of the day!”

-Seattle/Bainbridge route customer