HomeMy WebLinkAbout081923 WSF Sunday Service DisruptionsCounty and city elected officials representing WSF-served communities,
Despite the best efforts of our tireless dispatchers, management, and other dedicated colleagues, we are short crew members on several routes tomorrow. This is the end of “week two”
of our two-week crewing cycle, when people have worked 40+-hour weeks, plus overtime, and it’s more challenging to fill relief requests. At this time, the following routes will have
Sunday service disruptions:
* The San Juan Islands’ Interisland boat will be out of service, likely until evening. We know this is particularly impactful with the county fair this weekend and have worked hard
to avoid tying it up, as we did today, but there is no one available to fill a vital role.
* Service on the Port Townsend/Coupeville route will be suspended until we can fill a relief request on the boat serving the route.
* The Seattle/Bainbridge, Clinton/Mukilteo, and Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon “Triangle,” routes are likely to be on one-boat service to at least start the day, due to multiple missing
positions.
Our dispatchers have made every call possible, some working on overtime, trying to fill relief requests, but there are still 10 unfilled watches for tomorrow. They will begin calling
again early tomorrow morning, but with safety and U.S. Coast Guard crewing level requirements always our first priorities, we won’t be able to restore service until the relief requests
are filled. We understand the impacts of service disruptions, especially on a summer weekend, but current crewing availability challenges remain a reality.
Please let me know if you have questions.
Best,
John
John B. Vezina
Director
Planning, Customer and Government Relations
Washington State Ferries <https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/washington-state-ferries>
Cell: 206.473.9945