WSF weekly report: Worker shortages, assist with FH fire, food service reopens on some sailings

||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

Our Seattle/Bainbridge run is a little more than three weeks into its trial service (Stage 3) of our Service Restoration Plan (Plan), which outlines steps to restore service to pre-pandemic levels on a route-by-route basis. This week’s Plan Progress Report shows that during this time, the run did not reach 95% reliability, a benchmark that must be met over a three-week period for a route to be considered fully restored (Stage 4). As I mentioned last week, we unfortunately have had an unusually high number of relief requests among our employees recently.

Seventeen new deckhands started working out in the fleet this month after two weeks of required training, including a personal survival day at Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center.

As a reminder, our service restoration efforts will be a slow turn of the dial as this process is dependent on unpredictable factors like relief requests, and the number of new employees we’re able to recruit, who then must complete the required training needed to crew our vessels. Most of our other routes remain on alternate service (Stage 2), running alternate service schedules. When crewing allows, we put a second boat into service on our Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton run for as long as possible each day. I encourage riders to sign up for our rider alerts to receive updates on what schedule we’re operating on each route.

Teaming up with Seattle Maritime Academy to address worker shortage

Recruiting engine room staff is especially challenging right now and why we’re looking to increase interest and enrollment at Seattle Maritime Academy. Around one-in-four of our current engine room employees graduated from the academy, and we want to make sure this workforce pipeline keeps flowing! We teamed up with the school on Monday to promote their public tours and information sessions held on the second Tuesday of each month. If you’re interested in a fast track to a family-wage job with us, this is the place to go!

Seattle Maritime Academy students take apart a diesel engine during a class that news crews were observing as part of a press conference promoting the school.

WSF employees assist with Friday Harbor fire fight

Our ferry crews go through extensive training for all kinds of emergencies. Those skills came in handy last Thursday when a large fire broke out near our Friday Harbor terminal. Kudos to our Suquamish and Tillikum crews for assisting San Juan Island Fire & Rescue with the fire fight, as well as shuttling additional firefighting support from Orcas Island Fire and Rescue. Our terminal staff at Friday Harbor and Orcas Island also played important roles in coordinating this effort, along with our marine operations watch supervisor. Thank you to everyone involved in keeping the public safe!

Our vessel crews suited up in firefighting gear to prepare boundary support at our Friday Harbor terminal, just a block away from the fire.

CDC extends mask order for public transportation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday extended its nationwide mask requirement for public transit by 15 days, until May 3, as it monitors an increase in COVID-19 cases. Because our system is regulated by the federal government, like airlines and rail service, a face covering is still required for all our riders and employees in indoor public areas of our vessels and terminals as long as this public transportation order remains in effect.

Summer sailing schedule vehicle reservations release postponed

We are postponing next week’s two-month advance release of vehicle reservations for our summer season by at least a week as we finalize IT upgrades to our online reservations system and discuss with San Juan Islands Ferry Advisory Committee members about possible minor schedule adjustments on that route. Sign up for our rider alerts to stay updated on when reservations for travel on June 19 to September 24 on our Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/Coupeville runs will go live.

Limited onboard galley food service reopens

Our food vendor resumed onboard galley service aboard some vessels on the following routes yesterday in its first step of a phased reopening:

• Anacortes/San Juan Islands (two vessels)
• Edmonds/Kingston (one vessel)
• Seattle/Bainbridge (one vessel)
• Seattle/Bremerton (one vessel)

Additional openings are dependent on our food vendor being able to hire more staff and sales allowing for expansion.

National Work Zone Awareness Week

It’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, which brings attention to motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones. Our vessels and terminals are very much a work zone as drivers maneuver around and through our employees. As part of a month-long work zone safety emphasis, Seattle Terminal Attendant Andrea Leon Mack was the first to be featured in WSDOT’s “More Than a Hard Hat” video series. Please remember to slow down, be kind, pay attention and stay calm near all work zones.

$1,000 found aboard Issaquah returned to owner

Deckhand David Danilchik found a money clip while working aboard Issaquah earlier this month and immediately notified the crew. Capt. Jordan Nelson asked Clinton Terminal Supervisor John Wong and staff to begin the lost and found process and safeguard the lost item, which included more than $1,000 in cash. The owner of the money clip called and showed up the next morning to retrieve it. Thank you to all involved for ensuring a happy reunion!

Assistant Secretary’s Award

We presented Workforce Development Lead Richard O’Connor with our 2022 Assistant Secretary’s Award this week for delivering great results and demonstrating sustained dedication and strong character as a public servant. Rich spends countless hours improving all areas of our training programs – setting up courses, assessing training materials and supporting instructors – so that we have competent personnel in our fleet. Congratulations Rich, and job well done!

A colleague of Workforce Development Lead Richard O’Connor says, “Richard has his ear to the ground and spends extra time to get to know everyone in all courses he implements.”