Page 36: of Marine News Magazine (January 2016)

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FERRIES & PASSENGER VESSELS

The process of installing the superstructure built by Nichols Brothers Boat

Builders onto the hull of the M/V Tokitae at Vigor’s yard, March 2013.

Photo: NBBB

Today, it’s not as if the to improve workforce “High-pro? le problems like the Tacoma’s loss ferry system’s problems coordination, invest in of power can be tough to talk about, but that’s are over, but things are people, invest in main- on the upswing. Vigor tenance and operations, when a culture of accountability matters most

Industrial has completed update service disruption two new 144-car ferries protocols, and work to- …We took special care to listen to frontline under budget in the past ward further capital in- engine crews as the team developed solutions two years. Vigor will ? n- vestments. Grif? th had a ish a third soon and un- planned surgery and was to protect against issues like this in the future.” dertake the fourth imme- not available to answer diately. In the meantime, questions, but deputy – WSF deputy and Chief of Staff,

WSF hopes for better and Chief of Staff, Eliza- ? nancial support. The beth Kosa, ? lled in for

Elizabeth Kosa oldest ferries in regular her. She told Marine- service were built in the late 1950s and the next oldest are News, “All of these reforms are either complete or under the Super Class, built in the 1960s. WSF has continued to way,” said Kosa, adding “Morale has improved over the past move passengers and cars and has come to the point where year, but we’re not interested only in the rosy picture.” it manages to recoup 70 percent of its operational costs The unused generators have not yet sold. So far in 2015, with tolls, a very high rate of fare box recovery. 17 crewmembers have been honored for saving 18 lives.

Ridership is increasing. Ferries carried 23.6 million pas- A new San Juan Islands reservations system is working as sengers in the past year and that number is expected to go hoped. Wait times, in the past stretching up to eight hours higher in 2016. WSF reports there is growth in tourist trips in the summer months, have been markedly reduced. and optional local travel and less in daily commuter traf? c. “That’s a thing of the past,” says Kosa.

In addition, Grif? th earns very positive reviews after The new Olympic Class Tokitae and Samish had prob- more than a year on the job. Her orders from Peterson were lems with cars bottoming as they drove onboard. They cost

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