Washington State Ferries Employee News

Watch the all-staff meeting recording from Tuesday, May 20.

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

Classroom on the Water

From Sept. 9-19, we’ll host Maritime High School seniors for the second Classroom on the Water experience.

The students will spend six days over two weeks getting hands-on experience in the maritime world. They’ll work alongside our terminal staff and vessel crews on our Seattle/Bremerton route, as well as Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility employees.

These students have learned a lot over the past three years through hands-on classes. Their studies included time at the Seattle Maritime Academy and safety training at MITAGS, or Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies. Many of them are excited about starting maritime careers, especially with WSF or in other jobs that need Coast Guard credentials.

Classroom on the Water is special because it mixes classroom learning with real-world job exploration. The program was created by Northwest Maritime’s education team and WSF crew. It shows our shared goal of helping prepare the next generation of maritime workers.

We’re thankful to everyone at WSF who is welcoming these students to their vessels, terminals and maintenance sites.

If you have questions or want to learn more, please reach out to our Workforce Outreach Specialist Adam Dahl.

What’s New at HQ?

It’s summertime now, but as a service planner my job is to think ahead. How will we provide reliable ferry service this year, next year and beyond?

My team and I are working on two projects that will affect our employees. One project is changing to a two-season schedule in the San Juan Islands. The other is creating new sailing schedules on our Seattle routes.

Update on the San Juans two-season schedule

Thanks to additional funding from the Legislature, we can move to a two-season sailing schedule in the San Juan Islands. This means we will not have to cut back service in the winter like we have in the past. The “off-peak schedule” that starts Sept. 22 will run into June. Reservation periods will stay the same. The schedule is an updated version of our old spring/fall schedule. We improved it using feedback we got this past spring.

New sailing schedules for Seattle routes

The sailing schedules on our Seattle routes are very old. They’re like 20 years out of date. This causes our vessels to run late, our crews to have less-than-optimal work schedules and issues at our new Colman Dock facility. To fix this, we will start a schedule rewrite this fall. We will work with an internal team and also do public outreach. This will take about a year. We want to make sure the schedules work for all the people who use the route.

Our goal is to build schedules that work for both our employees and the public. If you have ideas or feedback, please let me know. You can email me or Paco AlfaroZierten.

Employee Spotlight

There’s no such thing as a “normal” day for our new Senior Director of External Relations Jenna Forty. But that’s part of what makes the job exciting.

Most days, she’s connecting with elected officials and their staff, helping them understand what’s going on at Washington State Ferries. She also works closely with our leadership team to make sure our messages are clear and that decisions are supported by solid information.

“I get to see so much of the great work that happens across the system,” said Jenna. “It’s really rewarding to help tell that story. There’s so much happening on our vessels, at our terminals or behind the scenes.”

One of her favorite places to show off is our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility.

“It’s like its own little world,” she said. “Most people don’t even know it exists, but the work that happens there is incredible. The team there keeps our boats running, and I love when we get to shine a light on that.”

The job includes plenty of coordination. Managing different priorities from elected officials, agency leaders, and the public requires patience, organization and a willingness to work through the gray areas.

“People often want black-and-white answers, but a lot of this job is about context,” said Jenna. “You have to be comfortable with uncertainty and be ready to adapt.”

Her path to public service wasn’t a straight one, but she’s always loved transportation work. Before coming to WSF, Jenna was a senior fiscal analyst on the Washington State Senate’s Transportation Committee.

After years working with WSF as a partner, she jumped at the chance to join the team directly. “I knew this was the kind of work I wanted to do,” said Jenna.

Outside of work, she’s always on the move. “I’m into cycling, skiing, running and now rowing,” she said.

She also loves backpacking and has spent time working in Italy. There, she honed her Italian and learned French. “Learning new languages is fun. It opens up a whole new way to communicate.”

Now in her early days at WSF, having a grounded mindset is key to Jenna’s success.

“This work matters, but it’s also important to stay grounded and be someone people want to work with.”

Employee Recognition

Kaleetan rescue

The crew of Kaleetan received a Life Ring Award for their recent assist in the rescue of a person in the water. While sailing to Bremerton, they spotted a kayaker in distress near the Kitsap Transit fast ferry in Rich Passage. Thanks to their quick response, teamwork and training, they launched a rescue boat and helped safely transfer the person to shore, where emergency crews were waiting.

George Conomos

Able-Bodied Sailor George Conomos, Jr., recently earned a Shared Values Coin for his actions. When the bridge at Tahlequah terminal was stuck too high to adjust remotely, he quickly volunteered to climb 15-20 feet and lower it manually. Thanks to his quick thinking and initiative, Chetzemoka avoided an hours long delay and stayed on schedule.

New law gives crews equal protection as other transit employees in the state

Our employees deserve a safe, respectful workplace. A new law – Senate Bill 5716 – took effect on July 27. It adds Washington State Ferries to the state’s public transit code. This means vessel crew members now have the same legal protections as other transit employees.

The law makes it a misdemeanor to refuse crew directions, smoke, litter or damage property on board – just as it already does on buses and trains.

Thanks to the governor and lawmakers who supported this important step for our workforce.

New emergency rule restricts crab, shrimp fishing gear near our docks

A new emergency rule from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife took effect in July. It affects areas near our ferry terminals.

The rule says boats can no longer set crab or shrimp pots near our docks. This gear has caused problems for our ferries. In the past, it got stuck in ferry propellers. That led to expensive repairs and hundreds of canceled sailings.

The rule also bans two types of commercial fishing – purse seining and gillnetting – near our terminals. It does not affect people fishing with a hook and line.

This change helps protect our vessels and keeps ferry service running on time.

What’s Up at WSDOT?

When appointed Secretary of Transportation in early 2025, Julie Meredith committed to visiting Washington State Ferries and all six regions as soon as our 2025-27 Transportation Budget was signed and the Legislature adjourned.

At the end of July, she made her first employee visit to the Northwest Region. It was a whirlwind of seeing important infrastructure, projects and WSDOT facilities – but most importantly, it provided an opportunity to meet with staff.

“I deeply appreciated the time spent sitting down with people across the region, asking questions, listening and learning more about what brings folks to WSDOT, what keeps them here and what challenges we face as an agency,” Secretary Meredith said in a recent intranet post.

“I look forward to working with our executives to address the challenges employees shared in partnership with our legislators and the Governor’s Office.”

Pictures of her Northwest Region visit are available on the intranet in the On the Move section. 

She is planning visits to Washington State Ferries and additional regions. Details about her upcoming visit with staff on our ferries and at our terminals will be provided as soon as they are finalized.

Speaking up to make a difference at Mukilteo

When employees speak up, real change can happen.

In June, several of our team members noticed an increase in people jumping off the pier at our Mukilteo terminal. This is dangerous and can slow down ferry service. 

One of those employees, Capt. Curtis Larson, raised the concern and helped bring attention to the issue.

Thanks to Curtis and others who spoke up, the message quickly made its way to the Port of Everett. Their team responded by putting up new signs warning against the unsafe behavior. Local law enforcement has also prioritized patrolling this area to discourage the activity. 

Curtis also talked with the Everett Herald to help raise awareness in the community. 

Thanks to his efforts and support from WSF staff and local leaders, we have seen a decrease in people jumping off the pier.

This is a great example of “Turning the Tide.” Curtis used his voice to make a difference, and others took action to help improve safety and keep our service running smoothly.

Training Times

Start dates for upcoming new employee orientations

Deck

• Monday, Oct. 6

Terminal

• Monday, Oct. 6

Welcome Aboard!

July deck hires:

• Nicholas Alkan
• Maple Baley
• Robert Collamore
• Ann Corley
• Matthew Davison
• Sarah Good
• Ellen Gordon
• Mona Hansen
• Holly Harrison
• Charles Hodge
• Jacob Jones
• Taylor Leone
• Romly Math
• Kevin Oldenburger
• Timothy Olson
• Waymon Wilkerson

July engine hires:

• John Bissett
• Liam Burke
• Nicholas Clark
• Jordan Douglass
• Ashton Edwards
• Matthew Flaherty
• Atticus Hodapp
• Maxwell Marti
• Mario Rowe
• Nicholas Smith

July Eagle Harbor hire:

• Erik Lawrence

July warehouse hire:

• Ibraheem Yinusa

July HQ hire:

• Jenna Forty

Safety Matters

Every summer bee stings are a hazard at our terminals.

To help reduce this risk, wasp traps are available through warehouse stores. For safety, place traps away from high-traffic areas to draw wasps away from employees. Install traps in the evening or early morning when yellow jackets are less active. Anyone allergic to stings should avoid handling traps. Follow the provided instructions when setting up traps and replace as needed. If you spot a nest near a terminal, contact Orkin for removal. Order traps and share feedback to help us improve our safety program. Stay safe this summer!

In the News

Employee in the news in July:

• Ticket Taker Kimm Schride

We’re Hiring!

Current job openings at WSF:

• Electrification Delivery Lead
• Preservation and Structural Marine Inspector Specialist
• On-Call Deckhand
• Marine Pipefitter Journeyperson
• Bridge Engineer 6 (In-Training)
• On-Call Terminal Attendant

Nautical Numbers

Here are some numbers that recap what we did in July:

2,303,877 total riders

• 937,483 drivers (with vehicle)
• 1,366,394 passengers and walk-ons

13,508 trips completed

74,576 service miles

98.9% of scheduled sailings completed (based on scheduled trips)

248 medical priority loads/medevacs

1 lifesaving event

41 whales spotted

From Our Social Media Feeds

Most popular posts on our X, Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram accounts in the month of July:

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