Planning publications

Overview documents

These documents provide a system overview and the service we provide.

Overview and fact sheet

We are the nation's largest ferry system, serving an average of 23.4 million riders and 10.3 million vehicles each year from 2010-2019. Learn more about our ferry system (PDF 311MB) and the important services we provide for Washington state and the Puget Sound region.

WSDOT Ferries Division Fleet Guide

The Fleet Guide (PDF 2.1MB) is designed to answer vessel specific questions we are most frequently asked about our fleet of 21 ferries.

Plans and studies

We have a range of plans that guide the operations of our ferry system. Some of these plans lead to projects. Learn about these plans and projects in this section.

Service Contingency Plan

In January 2024, we released our Service Contingency Plan (PDF 834KB), which provides a transparent outline of how we plan to add service – sometimes temporarily – when we have the available vessels and crewing to do so. An overview of the plan can be found in our Executive Summary (PDF 116KB).

A replacement to our COVID-19 Service Restoration Plan (PDF 794KB) and that document's February 2023 Update (PDF 1MB), this plan also details how we intend to make service decisions during unplanned and/or emergency disruptions. It will guide us as we manage maintenance of an aging 21-boat fleet with schedules that currently require at least 15 vessels to be in operation.

Sustainability Action Plan

Our Sustainability Action Plan: 2023-2025 (PDF 1.6MB) includes action-oriented focus areas and applies the goal-setting tool of “Objectives and Key Results” to set “challenging ambitious goals with measurable results.” We launched our first Sustainability Action Plan on Earth Day 2019 as one effort to implement the sustainability recommendations, goals and actions laid out in our 2040 Long Range Plan. This 2019-2021 Plan helped set a baseline for our subsequent efforts. As with previous versions, we consider the Plan to be a “living document” that will guide our sustainability efforts. Provide feedback on our current Plan by sending us an email.

Report on search for foreign or domestic ferry for Anacortes/Sidney, British Columbia route

In 2023, the Washington State Legislature passed a budget proviso requiring us to conduct a search for a foreign or domestic ferry (PDF 3.87MB) to operate our Anacortes/Sidney, British Columbia route. Due to vessel availability constraints, we have no ferries available to serve this route until 2030.

Anacortes to San Juan Islands Walk-on Ridership Maximization Study

We conducted a study in 2023 aimed to engage with stakeholders to identify and recommend cost-effective strategies and public funding sources to maximize walk-on passenger ridership on our Anacortes/San Juan Islands route (PDF 1.61MB). The study was in response to direction from the Legislature.

Passenger Demographic Survey

The Legislature directed us to conduct a systemwide passenger demographic survey (PDF 2.02MB) in 2023 to better understand the needs and travel patterns of our customers and people living in ferry-served communities.

2013 Origin-Destination Survey

We periodically conduct origin-destination surveys as a way to accurately capture and measure the travel patterns of ferry passengers.

• 2013 Origin-Destination Survey - Key Findings (PDF 5.7MB)
• 2013 Origin-Destination Survey - Full Report (PDF 12.2MB)

Transit Asset Management Plan

The Transit Asset Management Plan (PDF 4.7MB) documents the strategic, systematic practices of procuring, operating, inspecting, maintaining, rehabilitating and replacing capital assets. It supports our efforts to manage capital asset performance, risks and costs over their lifecycles to provide safe, cost-effective and reliable public transportation