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Washington State Ferries says summer crewing near pre-pandemic levels, outlines route restorations
Summary
WSF leaders told a May community meeting that staffing has recovered close to pre-pandemic levels, allowing restoration of multi-boat service on key routes this summer, but constrained vessel availability and maintenance needs mean some routes (including the Sydney international run) won’t return to pre‑COVID service until new vessels arrive.
Washington State Ferries leaders told riders at a May community meeting that crewing levels have largely recovered to pre-pandemic norms and that WSF expects to restore more regular summer service as a result. Head of Ferries Steve Nevier said the agency is “pretty much back to the crewing levels we had before the pandemic,” which will allow WSF to restore near-full domestic service this summer.
John Vezzina, who led the service presentation, outlined specific route changes: Bremerton–Seattle will return to a two-boat schedule on June 15; the Triangle route will regain a third boat in the spring when the right Issaquah-class vessels are available; and Port Townsend–Coupeville will have weekend-expanded service from July 4 through October. Vezzina cautioned that WSF operates a 21‑vessel fleet but that its long-range plan calls for 26 vessels to provide service relief and allow continuous maintenance without disrupting schedules.
Operations Director Beth said WSF has hired multiple deck-side classes (about 16 per class) and expects further hires through July to staff the restored schedules. She emphasized that unexpected staff illness or protected leave can still cause cancellations, so the agency cannot absolutely guarantee zero cancellations even while staffing improves.
Vezzina and other presenters described the service contingency plan that guides decisions when vessels are constrained. That plan prioritizes routes based on ridership impacts and alternatives; as a result, the Triangle route is often the source of a transferable ‘third boat’ because removing that vessel has a smaller overall network impact than reallocating boats from other, higher‑demand routes.
WSF leaders acknowledged the tradeoffs ahead: vessels remain aged, and routine and unscheduled maintenance reduce availability. They said improved maintenance practices, additional funding for capital preservation and new vessel procurement are essential to sustained service reliability. The meeting closed with a reminder that schedules may still change and that WSF will continue to monitor vessel availability and crewing to minimize disruptions.
