Washington State Ferries Employee News

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

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

Severe Weather Contingency Plan updates

Every day, we make critical decisions to ensure the safety and security of our customers. As winter approaches, updates to our Severe Weather Contingency Plan will help staff better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.

Key updates

• Severe Weather Contingency Plan event status spreadsheet: This real-time tool keeps terminal and vessel teams informed of current conditions. It enables employees to track and share updates on fuel availability, bilge status, potable water levels, sewage pumping needs and restroom access.
• Centralized instructions: New detailed guidance ensures consistent use of the spreadsheet to improve communication between terminals, vessels and the operations center.
• Infrastructure upgrades: Enhancements like heat tape, freeze-resistant valves and portable toilets will help mitigate cold-weather impacts.

Lessons from January freeze

Last winter’s record cold snap highlighted key areas to monitor, including water supply, sewage systems and restroom facilities. Real-time updates from staff were essential for an efficient response and will be critical moving forward.

Preparing for winter weather

• Supplies: Salt, de-icer, shovels and space heaters are ready to prevent freezing pipes and keep terminals safe.
• Terminal checklists: Terminal supervisors will activate these during snow events to ensure seamless coordination across teams.
• Weather forecasts: We have partnered with the National Weather Service to provide terminal-specific hourly and seven-day forecasts via SharePoint. This resource includes detailed data such as temperatures, precipitation and freezing conditions.

Next steps

All employees should review the revised Severe Weather Contingency Plan on the “Other Publications” page on SMS Online. Familiarity with the spreadsheet and its instructions is essential for smooth operations during severe weather events. Additionally, weather-related policies and procedures will be updated in the 2025 SMS revision cycle.

By staying informed and prepared, our dedicated terminal and vessel crews are equipped to navigate winter challenges and ensure the ferry system operates safely and efficiently.

What’s New at HQ?

The holiday season is a time to reflect – appreciate the good, learn from challenges and look ahead with fresh focus.

This year, we’ve made big strides in building a stronger, more resilient ferry system. Together, we tackled challenges, adapted to change and stayed focused on our three priorities:

• Service Excellence: Improving reliability and delivering better service.
• Improved Communication: Strengthening connections with our customers, communities and each other.
• Empowered People: Investing in our employees and supporting growth.

Looking ahead to 2025, there’s much to be excited about. Our core values – Serve, Respect, Grow, Trust, Navigate – will guide us as we keep building on this progress.

The holidays are also a time for family and traditions. I know many of you will have to make sacrifices during this time as we are a non-stop operation. 

I am truly appreciative to everyone who plays a part in keeping us running: our vessel crews, terminal staff, maintenance teams, marine operations watch supervisors, dispatchers, customer service agents, administrative staff, and the many others working behind the scenes. Your dedication is what drives this organization forward, and I couldn’t be more grateful for your hard work and commitment.

Cheers to a joyful holiday season and the many opportunities that lie ahead in the new year!

As always, thank you for all that you do.

Employee Spotlight

Matt Cahoon
Ordinary Sailor

For those traveling on our “Triangle” route, Matt Cahoon has become one of the friendly faces they see when boarding a vessel.

In his role as an ordinary sailor, Matt works on both the passenger and car decks. He is responsible for helping to make sure the deck crew is prepared for a multitude of scenarios, such as emergency situations, passenger incidents, weather conditions and much more. 

Being able to interact with passengers is one of Matt’s favorite parts of his job. He said one of the most rewarding things is, “When a passenger thanks me for simply being here.”

Matt keeps a few items in mind at the start of each day on board.

“Know your position, be ready and alert,” he said. “First is listen, know what others are expecting you to do. Don't let complacency dictate your day. Most of all take the time to learn. The more you know the more you will be prepared.”

Before WSF, Matt was a race car mechanic, which gives him a unique perspective on his current role.

“Knowing you had to rebuild an engine and get back on track in a few hours but not stress out gave me a realization on how to not just react but deal with what needs to be done,” he said.

Early in 2024, Matt was living in Arizona and realized that he wanted to work at WSF. He went through the hiring process while in Arizona and then accepted the position. Less than a month later, Matt had dropped everything and was living in Washington, embarking on his new career.

Matt keeps busy with three passions outside of work, with mountain biking, sailing and BBQ sauce taking up most of his time. He has competed in 24-hour mountain bike races.

“There is nothing like the thrill of racing a bike through cactus at 2 a.m. in the middle of the desert,” he said.

He also owns a national champion award-winning BBQ rub company and enjoys sailing with his family.

Employee Recognition

New sailing schedule begins Dec. 29 on Anacortes/San Juan Islands route

Hopefully by now this is old news: starting Sunday, Dec. 29, the times are changing for our Anacortes/San Juan Islands ferries!

Our service planners rewrote the route’s three seasonal sailing schedules (winter, spring/fall and summer) to help improve on-time performance. 

Changes were made based on invaluable involvement from employees from across several departments and feedback from a community task force. Vehicle allotments for each island have also been updated.

So, get ready for new departure times with the start of our winter sailing season, which will feature weekend interisland service thanks to emergency funding from Gov. Jay Inslee.  

Then brace yourself for our new spring/fall schedule on March 24 and summer on June 16.

Give your coworker the gift of support this holiday season with shared leave

‘Tis the season of giving, and through our Shared Leave Program, you can give to your colleagues during tough times. When an employee runs out of leave, coworkers can donate hours to help.

“I received shared leave last December after the complicated birth of my son,” said Communications Consultant Bryn Hunter. “It was humbling to receive such a kind gesture from my coworkers and helped my family during a difficult season.”

This program acts like a safety net, making sure employees don’t lose their paycheck when something unexpected happens. Look for quick notices that list employees in need for instructions on how to donate hours. 

What's Up at WSDOT?

In early December, Gov. Jay Inslee spoke at a virtual all-staff meeting to express his gratitude for the service and dedication WSDOT employees have provided to the state during his 12 years as governor. 

He highlighted many of our accomplishments including major construction projects, advancements at Washington State Ferries, our response to emergencies and how we are incorporating climate resilience into our transportation system.

However, his main focus was sharing his gratitude for the people who work for WSDOT. Gov. Inslee shared, “I hope you feel pride in your work, for what you’ve been able to accomplish.”

Following his remarks, three members of our team thanked the governor for his leadership:

• Julie Meredith, Assistant Secretary – Urban Mobility, Access and Megaprograms 
• Steve Nevey, Assistant Secretary – Washington State Ferries 
• Tonia Buell, Program Manager – Alternative Fuels Program

Along with Gov. Inslee, Secretary Millar also expressed his gratitude for the work WSDOT employees do every day.

He shared with the governor that none of the great work that occurs at WSDOT would be possible without the talents and commitment to excellence that our team exhibits.

If you were not able to watch the presentation live, a link to the recording was provided in Secretary Millar’s all-staff email dated Monday, Dec. 9, or employees can request a link from WSDOT Employee Communications.

Reminder: Let’s see your holiday photos

We invite you to share photos of your holiday festivities – whether it’s a feast with coworkers, decorations at the terminal or on the vessels.

Please send your pictures and a brief description of your celebration to wsfemployeecomms@wsdot.wa.gov.

Safety Matters

The Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Department is replacing safety equipment fleetwide.

New self-contained breathing apparatus masks are going out to vessels, so they are the same throughout the fleet. SCBA packs are also being upgraded to the black 75 series model. Each vessel is also getting new bunker gear.

For the engine rooms, multi-gas detector kits (measuring lower explosive limit, oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and photoionization) are being added. Training and supplies will be provided to ensure proper use and maintenance. 

For SCBA questions, contact wsfrespirators@wsdot.wa.gov. Other inquires can be sent to wsfriskmanagement@wsdot.wa.gov. 

Nautical Numbers

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

1,402,033 total riders

• 659,054 drivers (with vehicle)
• 706,979 passengers and walk-ons

11,819 trips completed

64,216 service miles

98.9% trip reliability (based on scheduled trips)

223 medical priority loads/medevacs

6 lifesaving events

59 whales spotted

Welcome Aboard!

Recent engine hires:

• Karlton Booth
• Jeffrey Bulle
• Michael Cheek
• Edward Dickson
• David Olsen
• Daniel Pickard
• Thomas Price
• Eric Smith
• Timothy Welfing
• Jesse Willis
• Matthew Wittig
• Nicholas Yentas

Recent Eagle Harbor hires:

• Mario Alvarado
• Dayvion Brooks
• Timothy Timberlake

Recent HQ hires:

• Paco AlfaroZierten
• Daniel Batchelor

We’re Hiring!

Current job openings at WSF:

• Senior Operating Budget Analyst
• Senior Field Inspector (TE3)
• On-Call Oiler/Wiper

From Our Social Media Feeds

Posts with most engagement on our X and Facebook accounts in the month of November:

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