WA State Ferries charts new course amid aging fleet, staffing shortages, pandemic woes

EDMONDS, Wash. - Washington State Ferries (WSF) is preparing to host a public task for meeting where the San Juans sailing schedule will be discussed.

The work comes 10–15 years since schedules have been updated, and as more and more people living on the island have raised concerns.

"We are not unaware of issues," said John Vezina, the Director of Planning during a separate meeting last week following major issues over the Memorial Day weekend. "We know if you’re a hospice patient, if you’re trying to get to chemotherapy, if you’re trying to get to work or if you’re waiting for a grandchild to visit these cancelations impact your life."

WSF has struggled to return to normal services ever since the beginning of the pandemic.

Last month, WSF abandoned plans to return a second boat to service on the is Fauntleroy-Southworth-Vashon route. The Seattle-Bremerton route is also waiting for full service.

Recent holiday struggles highlighted issues for vacationers, when 99 vehicles and dozens of families were stranded overnight at the Friday Harbor terminal when routes could not continue after a mechanical breakdown. An additional ship was brought up to run the route, but they crew could not operate after the long trip to the island.

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In the past when a ship broke down an additional vessel was nearly due to services that ran between Anacortes and British Columbia, however, that route isn’t estimated to be restored until 2030 due to a lack of ships. Legislators have stepped in to direct WSF to review plans to purchase or lease a ship, but have indicated at best it’d still take an additional three years between the search, legislators approving the money, and training staff to run the ship.

People living on the islands have raised concerns that daily needs aren’t being met.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that passengers that ride regularly have noticed an improvement in services since the height of the pandemic.

"They’re really trying," said George Williams, who typically takes the Edmonds/Kingston route 1–2 times a week. "It shows."

Still, Williams fears that things will get worse given the age of the fleet. WSF has three vessels that were slated to be retired by 2027—one of those, the Tillikum, was slated to be retired this year. Electric-hybrid boats that are expected to be brought online aren’t ready to take those vessels places though.

"I think calling it ‘retirement age’ is kind," said Williams. "They’re old. I don’t expect it to get better. I expect it to get worse."

According to WSF, they’ve expanded recruiting efforts. Last year, staff showed off a new training program that could educate the next generation of maritime workers. A marketing team has also been hired to market jobs, but training for mariners—much like airline workers—takes plenty of hours.

At a public meeting, San Juan Islands residents have asked by additional crew can’t be staffed to avoid issues with sick calls that have led to lengthy delays, or cancellations.

WSF currently operates on the minimum staffing levels set by the U.S. Coast Guard. Administrators have pointed out that redundant positions would be costly, and that you can’t estimate what positions would be needed on any given day.

As it stands, WSF is still looking to hire additional staff after losing people to retirement and the vaccine mandate during the pandemic.

"There’s not enough transportation dollars for Washington state," said Vezina. "Legislators need to make tough decision, but the people in Yakima need bridge and the people in Wenatchee needs roads."

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Those waiting for major changes may not see movement in the short-term. However, a new schedule for routes may better reflect sailing capabilities moving forward. The San Juan Islands Schedule update task force will host it’s second meeting on Tuesday, June 13 beginning at 4 p.m.