Washington State Ferries Employee News

Watch the spring 2025 all-staff meeting recording from Thursday, March 20.

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

Happy 3rd birthday, Ferry Tales

Four years ago, you told us, “We want an employee newsletter.”

Three years ago, you voted to name the newsletter, “Ferry Tales,” and we published the first issue in April 2022.

Now we need your input. Share with us how we should continue to transform Ferry Tales into YOUR newsletter. Tell us what kinds of stories you enjoy most? What would you like to see more of in future issues?

Since the beginning, we’ve shared stories about the amazing people who keep our ferries running and how our shared values have put us on a course to success.

We’ve celebrated teamwork, innovative problem solving and the many ways our staff go above and beyond for passengers.

Please take a quick three-minute survey to help plan better content for the coming year.

Thanks for being part of our Ferry Tales family. Here's to many more years of sharing our stories across Washington’s waters!

Inspiring youth at annual Career Day event

Nearly 150 high school students gathered at our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on March 27 for our third annual Career Day. They got a hands-on look at some of the maritime careers we have to offer.

More than 50 employees helped make the event a success. Students joined hands-on demonstrations including firefighting drills, a life ring toss and a life raft exercise. Employees showed different roles, from working on the deck and in the engine room to jobs at terminals, trade shops and human resources. The Eagle Harbor team played a key role in hosting and organizing the event.

Career Day helps students learn about maritime careers that we have to offer so they can learn how to become our industry’s future.

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible and inspired the next generation!

Employee Spotlight

Rebecca (Becca) Orbeck’s job is to tackle complicated problems at WSF. Easy peasy right?

As the continuous improvement project manager, Becca helps teams and departments solve problems using Lean Six Sigma methodologies and change management practices.

Or in her own words, “Let’s be real, project management is like herding cats! The problem could be big or small, but to me any improvement to a process can make a big difference!”

When she first joined WSF in February 2024, she was tasked with improving the way employees get reimbursed for training. Since then, she’s led an effort to capture knowledge in the fleet through the Experience Knowledge Gap working group, helped write a clear process for freeze events and supports Route Focus Groups.

Two projects she’s working on right now that came out of the Route Focus Groups are the Uniform Review, a fleetwide effort to look at the fit and function of our current uniforms and the Digital Management Project, which turns paper forms into electronic versions.

Her work is centered on culture change. That means talking with folks across the entire system to tackle projects like improving communication, quality of life and employee engagement.

“Culture change takes patience and time – it’s like trying to move one of our oldest vessels on a dime,” she said. “I’ve noticed people’s willingness to embrace new behaviors, whether it’s being kind or trying to collaborate across divisions which breaks down silos and encourages teamwork.”

When asked about what motivates her every day she replied, “Knowing I’ve helped make someone’s job easier.”

Becca recently joined a new team under the Quality Assurance Continuous Improvement Program. “We have a great group of experts to help improve our work!” 

Outside of work, Becca enjoys searching for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, enjoying time with her husband and two kitties, and taking trips to Cannon Beach.

Employee Recognition

Alert employees help protect elderly traveler

Chief Mate Maureen Larue and Able-Bodied Sailor Amy Oliver showed great awareness in assisting an elderly passenger recently. The man, a wheelchair user, was traveling alone aboard Issaquah. Upon arrival at Anacortes, he said he needed to go to the bank. That’s when they alerted Terminal Supervisors Faith Jackson, Elena Zachry and Jules Schultz. Terminal staff then overheard the man having a suspicious phone call about his money. Unable to reach his caretaker, they called the police for a wellness check. Officers and the man’s daughter urged him to return home instead of going to the bank. Thanks to the quick thinking of our employees, he agreed and safely boarded a ferry back to Orcas Island.

Safety Matters

We are strengthening safety by tracking near-miss incidents per the International Safety Management, or ISM Code. 

Reporting near misses helps prevent accidents, raise awareness of hazards and identify recurring issues. The goal is to make things safer, not assign blame. Employees are encouraged to report incidents, anonymously if needed.

We are working with WSDOT to create an online reporting system to make it easier to submit reports. Stay tuned for training and updates.

For now, keep using the current Safety Management System process. Please check SMSM REVU 0020 for on how to complete an SMS report and Fleet Advisory 001225 on near miss reporting for information.

IT team installs 7,000 feet of fiber-optic cable in Bremerton

Our Bremerton terminal got a big IT improvement in early March.

Network engineers from WSF and WSDOT HQ Technology Services worked together to install over 7,000 feet of new fiber-optic cable in just three days.

The team upgraded key areas like the tollbooths, agent’s office, terminal building, overhead loading and vehicle transfer spans. This new fiber-optic technology will ensure fast, reliable data transfer for years to come.

Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, this upgrade will help make our services faster and more reliable for both employees and customers.

Onboard memorial for William Marcouiller

On March 24, there was a memorial service aboard the 10:40 a.m. Seattle to Bainbridge ferry in honor of Senior Marine Engineer William Marcouiller.

Organized by Marine Project Engineer Charlie Torres, the gathering included Will’s family from Wisconsin. Onboard memorial services are free for WSDOT employees.

His parents, Dave and Margaret, expressed gratitude for the support from WSF. 

“On behalf of William Marcouiller’s family, we are writing this short note to express thanks to everyone involved with the Washington State Ferry (WSF) System.  We are particularly thankful for those who turned out to join us on the ferry for Will’s memorial where we committed his ashes to the Sound.   

“Our son William was a Senior Marine Engineer with WSF up until his passing this January from paraganglioma. Joining WSF back in 2018, Will had the privilege of working with wonderful colleagues and he spoke of you often with great fondness and respect. He contributed to the group challenge of providing safe and convenient WSF terminals throughout the Puget Sound. This was his dream job … in his favorite place. 

“He will be deeply missed.”

What’s Up at WSDOT?

Far too many of our employees have had difficult experiences in work zones – whether facing near misses, serious injuries or the loss of a co-worker by simply doing their job.

Safety is one of our agency's core values and a top priority and we are committed to finding ways to better protect and support each other. 

As an agency, we spend the month of April highlighting the importance of work zone safety. It’s a time to share the stories of our frontline crews, involve our partners in our public awareness and education efforts, and most importantly, plead with the traveling public to drive safely. 

We have several key events planned for April:  

• 2025 WSDOT Worker Memorial reception: WSDOT will host a private reception for friends and family of fallen workers on Wednesday, April 23 in Olympia. Rather than a ceremony with a reception, we will hold a single, more intimate event focused on the families, with brief remarks by Washington State Patrol Chief Batiste, a member of the WSDOT Memorial Foundation and Secretary of Transportation Meredith.
• National Work Zone Awareness Week: The national week-long campaign will be held April 21-25 and will recognize the start of the construction and travel seasons and encourage safe driving. We support the national campaign alongside our own efforts to raise awareness and remind the public to use extra caution. You may want to consider changing your virtual background during the month of April for work zone safety.
• Go Orange Day: WSDOT staff is invited to wear orange for work zone safety awareness on Wednesday, April 23. Participants can share their Go Orange Day selfies (individual or group shots) by emailing them, along with the names and titles of everyone pictured, to Intranet@WSDOT.WA.GOV by 5 p.m. on April 23. Photos will be placed in a collage and shared on the intranet.
• National Moment of Silence: At 9 a.m. on Friday, April 25, our agency will pause for a moment of silence to honor those who lost their lives in work zone incidents. If you don’t work Fridays or work nights, consider another time you could participate. 

Employees are encouraged to recommit to work zone safety, not just this month but every day. There is nothing more important than your safety and well-being. 

Training Time

Our Training Department provided more than 19,100 hours of training from January through March.

This includes the following classes: 15 for Basic First Aid, eight for Human Resource and Safety and Security (HRSS), six for Liferaft System Australia (LSA)/Marine Evacuation System, four for Basic Engine, three for Advanced First Aid Refresher, three for Terminal New Employee Orientation, three for Engine Room Management, three for Backflow Assembly, two for Deck New Employee Orientation, and one each for Engine New Employee Orientation, Forklift, Scissor Lift, Electronic Chart Display and Information System, New Mates Orientation, New Terminal Supervisor Orientation, Assistant Engineer License Preparation and Fall Protection.

Start dates for upcoming new employee orientations

Deck

• Monday, May 5
• Monday, June 2
• Monday, July 28

Engine

• Wednesday, April 16
• Monday, July 28

Eagle Harbor

• Monday, May 19

May 2025 training opportunities

HRSS (De-escalation and Customer Service) for frontline staff (Terminal, Engine and Deck)

See QN19022 for more info on registering. All classes are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Thursday, May 1 at WSDOT Mt. Baker Area Headquarters, Burlington
• Monday, May 5 at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility, Eagle Room
• Thursday, May 8 at WSF 2901 Headquarters, Winslow Room
• Wednesday, May 14 at WSDOT Mt. Baker Area Headquarters, Burlington
• Thursday, May 22 at WSDOT Mt. Baker Area Headquarters, Burlington
• Friday, May 23 at WSF 2901 Headquarters, Winslow Room
• Wednesday, May 28 at WSDOT Mt. Baker Area Headquarters, Burlington
• Thursday, May 29 at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility, Eagle Room
• Friday, May 30 at WSF 2901 Headquarters, Winslow Room

LSA for Deck & Engine

See QN18944-B for more info on registering. All classes are from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility.

• Saturday, May 10
• Monday, May 12
• Wednesday, May 14
• Thursday, May 15

Forklift/Aerial & Scissor Lift Certification for Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility employees

All classes are from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility.

• Tuesday, May 6

Fall Protection – Authorized Person Qualification

All classes are from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility.

• Wednesday, May 7
• Wednesday, May 28

We’re Hiring!

Current job openings at WSF:

• Senior Director of External Relations, WSF
• Journey Locksmith
• Engineering Manager - Terminal Electrification Program
• Regional Terminal Manager - South Pod

Welcome Aboard!

Recent deck hires:

• Mary Anderson
• Morgan Aune
• Thomas Boettger
• Christopher Brooke
• Tawsha Carlson
• Rae Holladay
• Marcus Lyng
• Beynody Mendez Jimenez
• James Newman
• Stuart Owsley
• Lena Pace
• Xavier Robinson
• Whitman Turner
• Amber Vernon

Recent engine hire:

• Matthew Bennett

Recent terminal hires:

• Bernie Albelda
• Christian Braunesreither
• Justin Estes
• Jennie Franks
• Kimberly Gutsche
• Mary Livengood
• Jahlil Ray
• Damon Sanders
• Joseph Spridgeon
• Amanda Stathas
• Sarah Triebenbach
• Jade Watson

Recent Eagle Harbor hires:

• Jennifer Patrick
• Elizabeth Seabright
• Scott Smith

Recent HQ hires:

• Vivek Gondalia
• Anders Hammersborg
• Gregory Parker

Nautical Numbers

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

1,471,386 total riders

• 741,617 drivers (with vehicle)
• 729,769 passengers and walk-ons

12,046 trips completed

64,482 service miles

99.3% of scheduled sailings completed (based on scheduled trips)

225 medical priority loads/medevacs

6 lifesaving events

25 whales spotted

From Our Social Media Feeds

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

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