||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||
A message from Steve
We really ramp up our hiring and training efforts this time of year. From late winter through spring, we bring aboard several classes of new deck, engine room and terminal employees. We conduct in-house training for these newcomers with our experienced staff serving as instructors. This is why we avoid recruiting during the busy summer months, when we need all our fleet staff to run our peak season service. Our instructors and training team do exceptional work familiarizing and preparing these new hires for their duties. This spring, we project hiring 55 deckhands, 24 unlicensed engine room employees and 26 terminal staff.
Our first class of new terminal hires in 2024 completed training earlier this month.
We’re always excited and grateful to welcome a new generation into these entry-level roles. However, our biggest crewing challenge right now is filling more experienced vessel jobs. Over the last three years, we’ve created several new programs to help our existing employees gain the qualifications necessary to advance into licensed jobs aboard our ferries. We anticipate that over the next five years, more than 100 deck officers will become eligible to retire. We’re currently laying the groundwork to ensure as many individuals as possible progress through our new programs and are ready to move up. We recently welcomed 11 new deck officers through our new mate orientation program.
One common misconception I hear is that we have a policy of not hiring qualified captains from other sectors of the industry. This is untrue. When a large ship enters Puget Sound from the ocean, it picks up a marine pilot at Port Angeles to navigate to its destination. Since our vessels operate in these “pilotage waters” 24/7 and it’s impractical to pick up a pilot, the U.S. Coast Guard requires at least two of our deck officers to complete Class 1 Puget Sound Pilotage. This process involves individuals spending time riding all our routes and taking exams. Previously, this was a barrier for qualified captains in other sectors as they had to start on deck with us while working to obtain pilotage on their own time after work hours. Our new pilotage program pays deck officer wages while individuals work on obtaining pilotage as their job. This has enabled us to welcome qualified captains and deck officers from other sectors into the program and is also crucial for our own employees as they advance in their careers. We’re especially grateful to the governor and Legislature for supporting and funding these critical programs.
Another misconception I often hear is that if we would just relax the number of sea days people needed to work to be qualified for their skilled positions, that would solve our problem. The sea days required for individuals to advance are federally mandated and not our policy. However, it’s important for crewmembers to gain enough experience in each position to ensure their competence and safety – a sentiment I’m sure most people would agree with.
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Fauntleroy terminal replacement project virtual community meetings and online open house
We must replace our aging Fauntleroy terminal to maintain safe and reliable ferry service on our “Triangle” route” between West Seattle, Vashon Island and the Kitsap Peninsula. We’re hosting two virtual public meetings and an online open house for members of these communities to learn more about our Fauntleroy terminal replacement project. Both meetings and the open house will include the same information on terminal alternatives, an overview of the project timeline and a chance for attendees to share questions and input. Advanced registration is required for the 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, and noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 8, meetings. The online open house is open now through Friday, May 24. Questions and comments are always welcome by emailing FauntleroyTermProj@wsdot.wa.
Built in the 1950s, parts of our Fauntleroy terminal are aging, seismically vulnerable and overdue for replacement.
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Southworth terminal construction to reduce space on dock in mid to late May
Two of the four lanes on the dock at our Southworth terminal will close for three weeks beginning in mid-May. During that time, crews will replace the wooden decking of the walkway running along the south side of the pier. Plan for possible delays on our Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route and oversized Vashon-bound vehicles that require the completion of a travel request form will not be able to travel out of Southworth. Customers are encouraged to sign up for travel alerts, arrive early and – for those who can – take alternate routes. The decking below the sidewalk is badly in need of repair and we must do this work now so it’s complete ahead of our busy summer travel season. We replaced the decking below the vehicle lanes on the dock in 2007. After the walkway is reopened, crews will replace a leaky roof on the terminal building.
Much of the vehicle holding space on the dock will be used as a temporary pedestrian and bike pathway and a buffer between it and the work zone.
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Recap of Anacortes/San Juan Islands route schedule rewrite process public information sessions
More than 130 people joined our virtual public information sessions this week on the sailing schedule update process for our Anacortes/San Juan Islands route. The timetables are being revised to improve on-time performance, support reliability, provide adequate travel opportunities for key user groups and maintain as much capacity as possible. During the meetings, our planning team presented on what goes into writing a schedule that works and how the public can be a part of the rewrite process. More information on this effort and a video of both information sessions are available online.
Planning Manager Jason Rogers discusses the building blocks of a sailing schedule during one of this week’s meetings.
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Electrification planning with transportation, utility and construction industries
System Electrification Program Administrator Matt von Ruden spoke about our transition to a hybrid-electric fleet in a panel discussion at the Construction Management Association of America Pacific Northwest Chapter annual conference on Friday. He addressed pathways to electrification through collaboration alongside utility partners Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy, plus King County Metro.
System Electrification Program Administrator Matt von Ruden, Seattle City Light Senior Manager of Grid Modernization Uzma Siddiqi, King County Metro Zero Emission Fleet Strategic Planning Manager Carly Macias, Puget Sound Energy System Planning Director David Landers and panel host Marc Michalson, Vanir deputy area manager of business development PNW.
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Peak season surcharge begins Monday, May 1
Starting Monday, May 1, the peak season surcharge goes into effect for vehicle-and-driver fares. This change does not affect passenger fares and multiride products. The surcharge lasts through Sept. 30.
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Tour de Lopez bike event Saturday, April 27
The annual Tour de Lopez bicycle event will take place on Lopez Island this Saturday, April 27. Plan for increased traffic on our Anacortes to Lopez Island sailings over the next couple days as participants arrive for this event. On the morning of the event, we will make an extra stop at Lopez Island during our 7:30 a.m. Anacortes to Orcas Island sailing to accommodate participants.
For Tour De Lopez participants traveling from our Anacortes terminal, our 7:30 a.m. Saturday sailing to Orcas Island will stop at Lopez Island for the event.
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Nighttime closures of SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge
The State Route 104 Hood Canal Bridge will shut down at night to all travelers several times from Monday, May 13, through the morning of Tuesday, June 11. The 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. closures (view dates) are required so crews can upgrade and replace key elements of the bridge over four weeks. This weather-dependent work was originally planned to occur over four weekends in summer 2023 but was separated into two phases of overnight work instead. The first phase was completed last May through June.
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Customer kudos
“My husband and I have been Lopez Island residents for over 36 years. We attended last night’s [Tuesday, April 23] virtual meeting and we were both impressed by the information provided about the complexity of revising the ferry schedule to try to best meet the needs of all the users. Thank you all for your expertise and diligence in addressing this critical issue.”
-Anacortes/San Juan Islands route customer
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Bigger, faster, more… nothing quite like having “extra sailings” for San Juan county’s ever-growing annual tourist events.
Situations like Friday”s (26 April) morning ferry fiasco from Orcas to Anacortes will never get mentioned in a ferry WSF newsletter.
Crew shortage cancelled the 6:45am coming from Anacortes. Ferry alert sent out, but didn’t mention that the 8:45am sailing reservations were shifted to all standby. An estimated 40 8:45am reservations holders failed to make ferry since 6:45 reservation holders (and standbys) were first loaded. Next ferry scheduled ferry 12:25pm. That ferry was 1 hour, 12 minutes late. And to add to the issues, an announcement that that ferry was short the required crew and would sail with limited capacity, next sailing 5:15pm.
One crew person doesn’t show, and hundreds of riders affected. There were long standing, hard to get surgical appointments not made and flights missed from delayed reservation holders I talked to. And these were people who understand ferries are are frequently late and it’s Friday with heavier that usual traffic, and their “go early” plans were for naught.
WSF’s used to schedule one “extra” crew above Coast Guard required levels, but when the CG increased required crew numbers 6-7(?) years ago, WSF ended the extra crew member. That didn’t solve all the crew issues such as a Captain or Engineer not showing, but there were fewer crew shortage cancellations.
Last year, the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee proposed having a negative experiences “collection box” where specific unfavorable ferry experiences/impacts would be collected as possible talking points for their monthly WSF meetings. Don’t see that on the Ferry Advisory Committee website, but I think the idea should revived.
Robert-
A couple follow-ups to your observations (which are all correct).
The Ferry Advisory Committee lobbied WSF and our State Legislators to fund “over staffing” of the ferries above Coast Guard minimum standards. That effort was placed into the budget this spring and we will see that take effect in the coming months. This will not solve all crew cancelation issues, but it will offer a great deal of improvement. The extra staffing will not cover specific positions like Chief Engineer and Captain when unexpected staffing issues arise, but it will help to solve the broader crew cancelation issues.
On the “collection box” issue, the San Juan County FAC has been working with the County staff on rolling out a site specifically to provide information and collect feedback related to ferries. This effort will hopefully simplify things and create a focused site that the public can turn to for both long-term and short-term information. That site should roll out very soon (ahead of the summer season). The work to create this site has involved a partnership between County Staff, FAC members and Citizen volunteers and is based on input we have received from the public.