Washington State Ferries Employee News

Read the September 2024 edition of Ferry Tales, the Washington State Ferries employee newsletter.

Watch the summer 2024 all-staff meeting recording from Aug. 7.

Have an idea for this employee newsletter? Email WSFEmployeeComms@wsdot.wa.gov.

Celebrating summer’s successes

As summer draws to a close, let’s take a moment to celebrate all that we’ve done.

Our dedicated employees have navigated the challenges of our peak travel season with unwavering commitment and creativity.

This summer has been one for the books, with increased ridership, last-minute schedule adjustments for service disruptions and unique challenges that required innovative solutions.

Yet, through it all, we have shown incredible effort and dedication even when the workload has been overwhelming.

It’s clear that many are running on fumes, yet we continue to push forward and deliver our best. Our employees are the backbone of our success, especially during challenging times.

Over the summer we successfully coordinated with local authorities to streamline operations during special events, like the extra support for crewing the interisland vessel during the San Juan County Fair or running the bonus boat on our “Triangle” Route for the Vashon Strawberry Festival. The communities served by these efforts have expressed their sincere gratitude.

Because of the many extra overtime shifts taken we kept the ferries running and decreased our number of cancelled sailings due to crewing, despite ongoing staffing shortages. For example, from Jan. 1 through Labor Day weekend, we had a 39.6% decrease in cancellations due to crewing this year compared to 2023. That is a huge win for our entire team.

As we transition into the fall season, we all know the challenges don’t end with summer. However, the lessons learned, and the resilience demonstrated over the past few months have prepared us well for the road ahead.

The fall brings its own set of demands, including maintenance schedules, seasonal weather changes and the beginning of the school year, which traditionally shifts commuter patterns.

But the lessons learned and the resilience we’ve shown this summer have prepared us well.

Our success is built on hard work, and we should feel confident that we’ll keep thriving together.

Steve Nevey
Assistant Secretary

What’s New at HQ?

As I enter my sixth month as assistant secretary and we evolve and position Washington State Ferries for future success, we’ve made a big change this month by combining our 11 departments into five strategic teams.

This new structure is designed to streamline our operations, helping us work more efficiently and stay focused on providing the best service.

The new teams are Fleet Operations; External Relations; Finance, Administrative & Employee Services; Quality, Health, Safety & Environment; and System Electrification.

Each team plays a crucial role in our success. Fleet Operations will focus on making sure we’re prepared to meet daily challenges. Finance, Administrative & Employee Services will ensure we have the resources we need. External Relations will effectively tell our story, both externally and internally. Quality, Health, Safety & Environment will learn from our experiences, enabling our staff to make better decisions. Finally, System Electrification will lead our move toward a more sustainable future. Whether it’s ensuring smoother operations, enhancing communication or advancing our sustainability goals, these changes are all about delivering service excellence.

This new organizational structure, combined with the three strategic priorities I laid out in the spring that would guide our work (Service Excellence, Improved Communication and Empowered People) are the foundation for strengthening our ferry system.

Service Excellence is at the heart of everything we do. It means providing reliable, timely and safe ferry service, even as we face challenges. This priority drives our daily operations, with an emphasis on reducing delays and disruptions, keeping our vessels in top condition, and training our staff to handle any situation. We know we’re not there yet, but by focusing on excellence, we aim to make every ferry ride more consistent and enjoyable, moving toward the service our customers deserve.

Improved Communication is crucial because it builds trust and transparency, especially when things don’t go as planned. We know our customers need timely, accurate information, whether they’re commuting or planning a trip. We’re committed to better communication to keep everyone informed, both externally and internally with you, our employees. It’s not just about sharing information – it’s about creating an open conversation where your feedback helps us improve and where we clearly explain our efforts to get back on track.

Empowered People is the third pillar of our strategy, focusing on our greatest asset – you. By giving our employees the tools, training and support they need, we help them excel in their roles, especially during challenging situations. When our people are empowered, they can make informed decisions, solve problems faster and give you the best service possible. There’s still work to do, but focusing on empowerment directly benefits our customers by making our workforce more responsive and ready to tackle challenges and build a better future.

Luis Rosas
Workforce Development Lead, Engine Room

Employee Spotlight

In his role as workforce development lead for our engine rooms, Luis Rosas is responsible for the professional development of both our current and future engine employees.

After joining WSF earlier this summer, Luis finds himself in the unique position of training new employees while he trains himself on the ins and outs of the maritime industry.

“I am still acclimating to my role at WSF,” he said. “Each day, I engage in learning the various processes unique to WSF. My daily activities include meeting new colleagues, completing ongoing training, planning and coordinating new employee orientation, and organizing any additional training required for the engine room crew.”

Luis has 20 years of experience with higher education in Miami Dade County. He enjoys the responsibility of supporting employees as they advance through their careers.

“Having spent my entire professional career in public service, I find great satisfaction in contributing to the daily lives of those who rely on the ferry system,” said Luis.

The role of workforce development lead is a key position as we look to hire and cultivate a new generation of mariners.

Luis notes having “the ability to guide individuals through various processes, maintain flexibility to accommodate different schedules and communicate effectively to ensure that everyone remains informed and aligned” as a vital attribute in his role.

As a resident of Washington state since 2022, Luis is still getting used to the Pacific Northwest lifestyle. He and his partner, Charles, enjoy exploring new locales in the region, bringing along their two dogs whenever possible.

Just a few more days to submit photos for employee contest

More than 60 of you from all over our organization have submitted photos for our employee photo contest!

There are still a few days left before the contest deadline! Send us your best ferry photos to WSFEmployeeComms@wsdot.wa.gov by 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9.

If you send in more than one photo, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a ferry swag bag. We’ll pick one grand prize winner, 10 runner ups and draw a lottery prize.

Our Communications Team will facilitate the judging and winners will be advertised in October’s Ferry Tales.

What we’re looking for

High-resolution (1280x720 pixels) color pictures.
Great images or photos of employees doing their job (ticket sellers interacting with customers, Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility crews making repairs, deck crew meetings, safety drills, etc.)
Beauty images or photos – (sunsets at the terminal, ferries docking on foggy days, sunny decks with tourists riding the San Juan Islands route, etc.)
Anything with a ferry and a whale in the frame. A mountain in the background might get extra points!
Have fun, take great photos and help tell us tell our story.

Security exercise at Port Townsend terminal

We held our annual security exercise at Port Townsend terminal on Aug. 20, with help from the U.S. Coast Guard, Washington State Patrol and several local response agencies.

Nearly 100 people, including volunteer employees roleplaying as passengers, were on hand to simulate our response to an active threat scenario aboard Kennewick.

The main goal of the drill was to test and evaluate our onboard Run-Hide-Fight procedures and develop training materials, including videos.

Several people gathered for a discussion at Port Townsend terminal — Participants of the security exercise gather for a discussion at Port Townsend terminal, which was closed to the public at the time as the route was out of service for scheduled cancellations due to extreme tidal conditions.

Shared Values Coin recognition program

We continue to award the Shared Values Coin to employees that demonstrate our shared values of serve, respect, growth, trust and navigate.

The Shared Values Coin can be awarded to anyone at any level who embodies our values through their actions and behavior.

The coin is a token of appreciation that symbolizes our collective commitment to the principles that define WSF.

Three ferry crew members in orange safety jackets holding up a coin in the passenger cabin — Capt. Ian MacInnis recently presented Ordinary Sailors Alexandra Greenaae and Josh Starcevich, as well as Chief Mate Todd Silver, with Shared Values Coins for rushing off *Kittitas* to provide aid to an injured customer at our Fauntleroy terminal.

Two people holding up a single coin together in an office setting with a large photo of a ferry behind them — Senior Director of External Relations John Vezina awarded Communicator Callie Meleedy with a Shared Values Coin recently for her work calming down an unhappy customer and making them feel heard.

Two people posing for a photo in front of a ferry at a dock with one in a yellow safety vest holding up a coin — Fauntleroy Terminal Supervisor Anthony Goch presented Ticket Taker Becca Baglioni with a Shared Values Coin recently for exceeding expectations by doing the little extra things that not everyone is willing to do.

Two people posing for a photo on the vehicle transfer span at a ferry terminal with one in a yellow safety vest holding up a coin — Terminal Supervisor Rebecca Babik recently awarded Ticket Taker Jordan Boyd with a Shared Values Coin for going above and beyond on the day our Southworth terminal was out of service with a transfer span issue. First, he stayed overtime to cover an employee who had to go home unexpectedly. Then, after an extra-long shift, he walked the dock to ask if any walk-on customers were stranded at Fauntleroy, providing a bicyclist a ride back to Port Orchard.

Two people posing for a photo at a ferry terminal shaking hands with one person holding up a coin — Relief Terminal Supervisor Phil Olwell recently presented Relief Seller Raphael Fontanilla with a Shared Values Coin for his huge help to the system, our customers and his co-workers.

Two people posing for a photo in the wheelhouse of a ferry with person on the left wearing a captain's uniform and holding up a coin — Port Captain Jim Bauer awarded Capt. Cory Maxwell with a Shared Values Coin recently for taking a job at the last minute to serve the captain position on a watch that was mistakenly unfilled.

What’s Up at WSDOT?

In September, we submit our budget request for the 2025-27 biennium. Our goal is to be transparent about our state’s transportation needs while also acknowledging our limited state funds and prioritizing our request to address our most critical service and delivery needs.

As part of our 2025-27 biennium submittal, we are requesting funding to maintain current operations such as adjustments for fuel, utility costs, insurance, reappropriations and other technical changes.

While our biennial budget focuses on essential operations, it was also important to address additional high priority projects. These investments are critical to our transportation system’s future as they directly affect the safety, efficiency and reliability of our infrastructure and are necessary to meet the obligations of Washington state. These include:

Fish barrier removal
Operations & maintenance
Safety
Preservation
Washington State Ferries

Our 2025-27 biennium budget request will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Management and the Office of the Governor. Both will make adjustments that ultimately inform Governor Inslee’s proposed budget, which will be released in December. As a cabinet agency, we will support his budget. However, in January, we will have a new governor who will have an opportunity to submit a budget as well. The Legislature will review the state budget proposal and additional changes may be made. The Legislature will pass a final budget in late spring and once the governor signs it, we will have an official budget.

Additional information on our budget submittal and key milestones in the process will be communicated to employees through all-staff messages over the next several months.

Construction Corner

Bainbridge Ferry Terminal Overhead Loading Fixed Walkway Replacement

A walkway is more than a passageway to the ferry.

Being inside the new overhead walkway at our Bainbridge terminal is like throwing back the curtains and whipping open the windows to stunning views of Eagle Harbor. That’s just the look of it.

When the former walkway was built more than 50 years ago, miniskirts and bell bottoms were in fashion. Seismic considerations weren’t.

The new walkway, opened this past February, takes passengers on a more direct route to the ferry inside a structure that’s designed to withstand a major earthquake.

View of exterior of the Bainbridge terminal overhead loading walkway with the dock in the background — The new overhead walkway at our Bainbridge terminal features glass windows that slide open to let in cooling breezes with a grid dot pattern to help prevent bird strikes.

What was once a dark and narrow passageway built on timber pilings has been replaced by a steel-fortified structure anchored by concrete and steel columns.

Last September, crews barged in the four massive bridge structures that make up the structure and lifted them by crane onto their new pilings. The work required a six-day closure of the route to drive-on service. While that was not ideal, it was the only way to get these structures safely into place. This time-lapse video compresses those six days of work into two minutes and offers a great overview of what a feat it was.

Construction on the $33 million project began in summer of 2022 and wraps up this month.

After the walkway opened for business, crews still needed to do substantial work to replace the mechanical components of the moveable part of the walkway, along with building out its interior features – seats, heaters, operable windows, overhead monitors and more.

With those in place, the project has reached completion. WSF, contractors and terminal staff will gather near the walkway on Sept. 11 to celebrate.

Two tribal welcome figures, currently being carved by Skokomish tribal artists Andy Wilbur-Peterson and Ruth Peterson, will be installed in the walkway this fall.

Volunteers needed as instructors for employee training

Want to expand your resume, but not sure where to start?

Why not sign up to become an instructor for our Training Department?

That team is seeking folks with positive and professional attitudes, good communication skills, and a strong working knowledge of both SMS policies and procedures and our operations.

This program allows deck, engine, terminal and Eagle Harbor staff to support the development and delivery of various courses for other employees.

Supervisor approval is not required to sign up for this opportunity, and the time commitment is totally up to you.

We are looking for folks who are available, interested and enthusiastic. Duties may include writing and editing reports and manuals; instructing classroom or in-field courses; and developing, maintaining and updating curriculum.

Employees interested in applying must submit resumes and cover letters to scottal@wsdot.wa.gov no later than Sept. 30.

Safety Matters

Our Safety Office has secured supplemental budget funding to replace self-contained breathing apparatus masks fleetwide later this year.

The plan is to replace all discontinued AV-2000 masks throughout the fleet and provide AV-3000 SCBAs to all vessels that do not currently have them.

This change will create uniformity across all vessels, and will require less fit testing for employees, eliminating the need for employees to fit test on the AV-2000 mask going forward.

Questions? Contact: wsfrespirators@wsdot.wa.gov