Officials hope to crack down on line-cutters at Washington ferries

Line-cutting at Washington ferries leads to road rage, new rules

People are cutting in line at Washington ferry terminals, and the rule-following drivers are not happy.

EDMONDS, Wash. - People are cutting in line at Washington ferry terminals, and the rule-following drivers are not happy.

Washington State Patrol (WSP) told FOX 13 News that travelers are getting so upset, Edmonds Police have had to arrest people for getting violent.

Before the problem gets any worse, Edmonds Police, WSP and Washington State Ferries (WSF) are teaming up to crack down on line-cutters starting Friday.

This is not the first time agencies have had to do emphasis patrol. In 2021, WSP ran an emphasis patrol for the exact same problem—people cutting in line.

The difference now is the number of calls coming in for road rage. People aren't just arguing in frustration, they're getting physical.

"Edmonds seems to keep getting the most complaints for line-cutting," said Trooper Kelsey Harding with WSP. "In the past two months, they've just had more and more complaints and escalations that turn into road rage incidents and arrests are being made."

WSP, Edmonds Police and WSF are teaming up to catch line-cutters.

"With the upcoming months and the fact that more people are going to be traveling by ferry, and the lines are going to get longer, wait times are going to get longer," said Harding. "We don't want to see an increase in these calls and the situations where people are getting violent."

If you've ever taken a ferry out of Edmonds to get to Kingston, you know what it's like to be in this line. During peak hours, you'll sit idling in your car for hours. Regular ferry commuters like Deann have seen the line violators.

"It's frustrating because most of us are just waiting patiently, and because the way the world is, nobody is going to say anything to the people who are cutting in," said Deann. "If you have any altercations, you're kind of risking your own self to do that. So when you get up to the traffic booth, they do what they can to call out the people out of line."

Deann said she's never seen anyone get violent during her commute. However, she has seen drivers yelling at each other in frustration.

Other drivers, however, have taken their anger to the next level, which is why troopers and police will be watching this area closely.

Keep in mind, cutting in line at a ferry terminal is an infraction. The fine is $139.

Get breaking news alerts in the FREE FOX 13 Seattle app. Download for Apple iOS or Android. And sign up for BREAKING NEWS emails delivered straight to your inbox.

If you see someone cutting in line, police say to write down their car description with a plate number if you can. Tell the ferry workers when you get to the till and they will handle it. Most likely, they'll tell them to move back in line. Repeat offenders will have more consequences.