HomeMy WebLinkAbout071324 email - 3_45PM Saturday WSF Service DisruptionsALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
County and city elected officials from WSF-served communities,
Despite our best efforts, due to missing crew, the Triangle route will remain on one-boat service for the remainder of the day and the Clinton/Mukilteo route will go to one-boat service
after the Sealth’s 6.40pm sailing from Mukilteo. Unless there are additional relief requests, the Bainbridge/Seattle route will go back to two-boat service early this evening.
While completely understanding our customers’ frustration and belief we aren’t empathetic to their delays, they don’t see what I do – hardworking and caring WSF staffing working all
weekend trying to get boats crewed and repaired:
* From July 10-12, Dispatch made 1470 calls trying to fill relief requests, with hundreds more made today.
* Watch Center Supervisors managing service on every route, dealing with emergent issues with professionalism and composure.
* Information Agents working tirelessly to get accurate and timely information to customers who need to know what to expect as they arrive at terminals.
* Vessel Maintenance, its crew, and staff from our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility at work focused on repairs to the Yakima.
* WSF headquarters’ staff have scheduled meeting today and tomorrow to support the work of those I just mentioned.
* And, of course, our excellent frontline employees – vessel crews and terminal staff – are out working hard today, using their training and customer service skills to get people safely
to their destinations.
There’s no denying the impacts of service disruptions, but they’re not due to a lack of trying by some terrific and caring Washingtonians.
Service updates are being sent through passenger alerts and social media. Please let me know if you have questions.
Best,
John
From: Vezina, John
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2024 9:58 AM
Cc: Rodero, Hadley <hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov>
Subject: 10am Saturday WSF Service Disruptions
County and city elected officials from WSF-served communities,
Due to a lack of crewing, we missed one roundtrip on the second boat on the Clinton/Mukilteo route this morning and we are down to one-boat service on the Bainbridge/Seattle and Fauntleroy/Southworth
/Vashon Triangle routes. Knowing the impacts of one-boat service on our busiest route (Bainbridge) and one serving an island community (Vashon), dispatchers are working hard to fill
the relief requests, but haven’t yet been able to do so. There are also unfilled requests for this evening’s watches, so further service disruptions are possible.
WSF management has meetings scheduled all day to discuss service options with the focus on keeping every route on at least one-boast service. We are alerting customers on the disruptions
through passenger alerts and social media. Please let me know if you have questions.
John
From: Vezina, John
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 4:16 PM
Cc: Rodero, Hadley <hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov <mailto:hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov> >
Subject: 4PM Update Friday WSF Service Disruptions
County and city elected officials from WSF-served communities,
With a significant increase in relief requests across the system, there are service reductions on several routes. WSF staff is working hard to find reliefs, but we’re currently short
crew on Clinton/Mukilteo, Bainbridge/Seattle, the Anacortes/San Juan Islands, and Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon (Triangle) routes. While dispatchers continue working, filling these
positions is proving to be challenging.
WSF management will continue working this evening and have scheduled meetings over the weekend to continuously assess the situation, providing as much service as possible with the resources
available. With safety and U.S. Coast Guard regulations always our first priorities, we can’t sail when we’re short crewing, but we’ll do what we can within crewing constraints. Customers
are being advised of service disruptions through passenger alerts and social media. Please let me know if you have questions.
John
From: Vezina, John
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 11:06 AM
Cc: Rodero, Hadley <hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov <mailto:hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov> >
Subject: RE: Friday WSF Service Disruptions
County and city elected officials from WSF-served communities,
Good morning.
In Hadley’s absence, I’m expanding the distribution of the email I sent specific routes earlier this morning, so you’re aware of service adjustments on several routes.
We are moving vessels to restore as much service capacity as possible until the Yakima can be returned to service. This affects three routes:
* The 124-vehicle Chelan is on its way from the Clinton/Mukilteo route to the Anacortes/San Juan Islands routes, replacing the 144-vehicle Yakima and restoring four-boat service there.
We expect that to begin with a 2pm sailing from Anacortes.
* The 90-vehicle Sealth has been repaired (thank you, Vessels team!) and is on its way to Clinton/Mukilteo route, where we expect it to restore two-boat service at noon(ish).
* The Sealth has been operating as a bonus boat on the Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon routes for one watch on weekdays, which it will resume when we’re able to relieve it at Clinton/Mukilteo.
We understand your constituents’ frustration, especially on a sunny summer Friday, but please know we’re doing everything we can to provide as much service as possible. Please let me
know if you have questions, or forward me constituent emails you’d like me to answer.
Best,
John
From: Vezina, John
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 7:21 AM
Cc: Rodero, Hadley <hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov <mailto:hadley.rodero@wsdot.wa.gov> >
Subject: Friday WSF Service Disruptions
San Juan Islands, Anacortes, Clinton, and Mukilteo Elected Officials,
Good morning. I’m sending on Hadley’s behalf as she’s out today.
The Yakima, one of four vessels assigned to the Anacortes/San Juan Islands routes, remains out of service. The vessel’s engine room crew and staff from our Eagle Harbor Maintenance
Facility are on board and continue to work on repairs. Without the Yakima available, the Anacortes/San Juan Islands routes are on three-boat service, without other travel options,
on a busy summer Friday. Unfortunately, to restore four-boat service in the San Juans we have to reduce service elsewhere.
This morning we will move the Chelan, currently assigned to the Clinton/Mukilteo route, north, to restore four-boat service to the San Juans. Frustratingly, as well as the issue with
the Yakima, the Sealth, our current service relief vessel is out of service with a steering issue. We expect the Sealth to be out for the day, but as soon as its repaired we’ll send
it to the Clinton/Mukilteo route to restore two-boat service there.
The last 24 hours have been extremely difficult for our San Juan Islands customers as they were temporarily on one-boat service, then two, and finally three. Additionally this morning,
the Kaleetan, one of the other boats assigned to the San Juan Islands is on reduced passenger capacity due to an issue with its davits. We know moving one of the boats from Clinton/Mukilteo
on a summer Friday will also mean significant delays there, but while frustrating, those passengers can drive around from Whidbey’s north end, an option not available to San Juan Islands
residents. We will restore two-boat service at Clinton/Mukilteo as soon as the Sealth is repaired and crewed to move north.
Please let me know if you have questions.
Best,
John
John B. Vezina
Director
Planning, Customer and Government Relations
Washington State Ferries