HomeMy WebLinkAbout122324 - WSF Monday Matters (12_23)ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Monday Matters – Dec. 23, 2024
Holiday travel has begun on the Washington State Ferries with expectations of more than 600,000 people traveling through Monday, Dec. 30. Planning for travel sometimes takes a back
seat while other preparations for the holidays are happening, so we’ve developed various tools to make our customers’ commutes a bit easier.
To help navigate the crowds and expected vehicle lines, customers are encouraged to download and use the WSDOT mobile app <https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/mobile-app-and-social-media> or
visit the WSF website <https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/washington-state-ferries> before heading to the terminals. There will also be a few changes on Christmas and New Year’s Days which
are marked on the schedules for each route <https://wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/default.aspx> . Passengers shouldn’t forget to think about alternate routes to their destination which
might not include a ferry but taking a bridge.
WSF has completed more than 99% of its sailings for three of the last four weeks and we continue to work hard to ensure we end the year with similar results. Crews working the terminals,
vessels, customer service and dispatch show up every day to help ensure each of our customers can be with family, friends or just have a get away from everyday life. We ask customers
be kind to those working to get them safely to their destinations and to know an occasionally thank you might just make someone’s day.
WSF Weekly Media Highlights
600K people to travel on WA ferries for holidays FOX 13
https://www.fox13seattle.com/video/1566417
What to expect from WA ferries during the holidays: New schedules, long lines- but just for some The Seattle Times (PDF included)
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/what-to-expect-on-wa-ferries-as-you-travel-for-the-holidays/
Olive Lyons, first female ferry owner/operator in Washington Moscow-Pullman Daily News
https://www.dnews.com/local-news/olive-lyons-first-female-ferry-owner-operator-in-washington-18341803
Customer Service – For the week of Dec. 16 - 22, our customer service team sent 98 rider alerts, received 1,180 customer calls, and fielded more than 120 written comments and emails
related to reservations, schedules, and fares.
Service Reliability – For the week of Dec. 16-22, we completed 99.1% of our 2,789 scheduled sailings. Of the 30 cancellations, 40% (12) were due to weather, 20% (6) were due to schedule
resets and other delays, 17% (5) were due to crewing, 13% (4) were due to terminal-related issues, 7% (2) were due to tidal currents, and 3% (1) was due to other miscellaneous reasons.
There were no cancellations due to vessels out of service.
WSF measures on-time-performance (OTP) separately from completed sailings. Quarterly updates on OTP, daily ridership, and ridership by sailing, can be found on our public data dashboard
<https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/wsferries/viz/WSF-Public/Index> .
Vessel Availability
We’re operating at our 15-vessel current service level, adding a 16th “bonus” boat seven days a week on the Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon “Triangle” route when crewing and vessel availability
allows.
Jumbo Mark II Conversions/New Vessels/Terminal Electrification
Hybrid Conversions – Upgrades to the Wenatchee propulsion system and installation of electric power equipment is expected to be completed and return to service in summer 2025. Significant
work has been completed to date to include removal of two propulsion diesel generators, installation of electric power conversion and distribution equipment, upgrades to obsolete propulsion
control equipment, reconfiguration of piping systems, and build-out of two new battery rooms. The Tacoma conversion will not happen until the Wenatchee returns to service.
New Vessels – The contracting process for new vessels continues and we’re in active discussions with industry about the terms of the Invitation for Bid we released. We’ve received three
pre-qualification packages from shipyards across the country.
Terminal Electrification – WSF is in the process of planning and designing charging infrastructure at 16 of our ferry terminals. This effort begins with ensuring that each terminal will
be able to secure sufficient energy through collaboration with local utilities. Community engagement and predesign work is underway for the first four terminals that will be equipped
with vessel charging systems – Seattle, Bremerton, Bainbridge and Clinton.
WSF Community Engagement and Government Relations
* Wednesday, December 18 – San Juan Islands Ferry Advisory Committee
* Wednesday, December 18 – San Juan Islands Schedule Update Task Force
* Thursday, December 19 – Executive Committee, 11 Ferry Advisory Committees