WSF Weekly Report | 98,174 riders in one day; annual tribal canoe journey; fall reservations available

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

A message from Steve

On Saturday, we welcomed 98,174 riders on board, our highest single-day ridership since 2019. That easily surpassed our previous post-pandemic high of 95,361 riders on July 26 of last year. Since 2020, we’ve had 10 days with more than 90,000 riders: one in 2024, seven in 2025 and two so far this year, including 93,067 riders on July 3. Historically, our busiest days come on Fridays and Saturdays in July and August, so there’s still plenty of time for more 90,000-plus days.

If we hit a single-day ridership of 100,000 or more it would be the first time we hit six figures since 2019. We did that four times that summer, twice in July and twice in August.

These ridership numbers are more than just milestones. They show we’re on the right course. Over the past couple of years, we’ve restored full domestic service while significantly reducing our canceled sailings. This gives riders more travel options and more confidence when planning a trip with us. We know we still have a lot to improve on, and you have my commitment that we’re working hard every day to make our service even more reliable. That will take time as we grow our workforce further while taking special care of our aging fleet until new ferries arrive. I’m grateful to our employees for the work they do every day and to all of you for your continued support and patience while we improve.

Creating a more accessible ferry system

Sunday, July 26, marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This landmark civil rights law helps ensure people with disabilities have the same access to jobs, transportation, public spaces and other parts of everyday life as people without disabilities. We are committed to making our terminals, vessels and services accessible to everyone. Our riders with disabilities page includes accessibility information for each of our terminals and vessels. It gives customers the information they need to plan their trips with confidence. We also recently joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. We will be offering complimentary sunflower lanyards for people with non-apparent disabilities. Wearing a lanyard lets our employees know the person may need extra time, understanding or assistance while traveling. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information about how to get and use these lanyards. This work is very important to me. One of my goals is to not meet basic ADA requirements, but to be leaders in supporting our customers with disabilities, who should be able to travel with dignity and independence.

Annual tribal canoe journey

One of the unique parts of traveling by ferry on the Salish Sea is witnessing traditions that continue to thrive on these waters today. Over the next week, you may spot tribal canoes on the water as participants undertake the Paddle to Nisqually, Medicine Creek Potlatch Journey. The theme of this year’s Canoe Journey is “Healing Through Our Waters by Honoring Our Ancestors.” Look for canoes near some of our routes tomorrow, July 24 through July 30. Landing is scheduled for July 31 with the Nisqually Indian Tribe hosting a celebration through Aug. 5.

If you see the canoe journey from one of our ferries and capture a great photo or video, we’d love to see it. Share them with us on X, Bluesky, Facebook or Instagram.

Vehicle reservations for fall sailing season available

On Tuesday, we opened vehicle reservations for our fall sailing season (Sept. 20 to Dec. 26). For our Anacortes/San Juan Islands route, we released 30% of vehicle reservations space. Another 30% will become available two weeks before each sailing and the final 30% will open two days before each sailing. Both the two-week and two-day releases are at 7 a.m. For our Port Townsend/Coupeville run, 80% of vehicle reservations are available. For both routes, the remaining space is held for emergency and stand-by vehicles.

The final day of peak season two-boat daily service on our Port Townsend/Coupeville route schedule is Sunday, Oct. 4.

Expect traffic delays at Colman Dock Saturday evening, July 25

If you’re traveling through our Seattle terminal by vehicle on Saturday evening, July 25, plan for extra time. Alaskan Way in front of Colman Dock will be closed from 4-11 p.m. for the Torchlight Run and Parade along the waterfront. Please follow posted signs and directions from Seattle Police. When a ferry arrives, officers will allow vehicles to leave the terminal using either Yesler Way or Marion Street. Expect unloading to take longer than usual. Vehicle access into the Colman Dock from northbound Alaskan Way will not change but may also take more time. If you’re walking on or off the ferry, we encourage you to use the Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge.

Reminder: Free Seattle Waterfront Shuttle runs through Labor Day

If you’re traveling through Colman Dock this summer, there’s still time to take advantage of a free ride around downtown Seattle. The Waterfront Shuttle runs through Labor Day, Sept. 7, with a stop just steps from our terminal. It arrives every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The shuttle is operated by King County Metro and sponsored by a local organizing committee.

The Waterfront Shuttle makes it easy to reach popular destinations like Seattle Center, Pioneer Square and the Chinatown-International District. Map courtesy King County Metro.

Sailing stats for week of July 13-19

For the week of July 13-19, our systemwide on-time performance (sailings that left within 10 minutes of their scheduled departure) was 77.5%. By comparison, it was 75.3% during a similar week last year (July 14-20, 2025). To view our on-time performance by month going back to 2017, visit our on-time performance reports page.

Customer kudos

“I am writing to formally commend (Abby Kunch, terminal employee), who was working as a check-in agent at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal on June 2nd at approximately 9:40 AM. When I reached the booth, she discovered that the ferry pass I had been given by a friend was expired. I fully expected to pay for a new fare on the spot. Instead of rushing me through, Abby went completely above and beyond. She kindly suggested that I text my friend to get the updated, valid pass. Fortunately, there were no vehicles waiting behind us, but Abby’s patience and attitude made all the difference. I felt awful about the mistake, and my friend felt equally terrible for sending the wrong pass. Abby was never annoyed, remained incredibly patient, and genuinely wanted to help us solve the problem—all while keeping a warm smile on her face. Correct pass was sent immediately, and we were on our way. Both my friend and I are incredibly grateful for her exceptional customer service. She turned a stressful situation into a wonderful experience. Please ensure this praise is shared with Abby and her supervisors, as she is a fantastic asset to the Washington State Ferry system. Thank you and especially Thank you Abby!”

-Anacortes/San Juan Islands route customer