Latest news with #WSF
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State's first hybrid-electric ferry out of shipyard, nearing return to service
Vigor Shipyard delivered the state's first hybrid-electric ferry to Washington State Ferries on Monday, moving the effort to add the first lower-emissions vessel to the fleet a step closer. The Wenatchee ferry, which has been at Vigor's Seattle shipyard being retro-fitted for nearly the past two years, is now at WSF's maintenance facility on Bainbridge Island. It will next undergo sea trials, and is scheduled to return to service this summer on the Bainbridge-Seattle run. According to an announcement from Vigor, the 202-car Wenatchee is the largest ferry in the United States to be converted to run on electric power. Two diesel generators were removed from the Wenatchee as part of the project, which then added two battery rooms that house 864 battery modules. New propulsion controls were added, as well as new electric and fiber optic cable around the vessel, according to Vigor. The Wenatchee will now be stationed at Eagle Harbor for final work to prepare the ferry for service, including crew training and Coast Guard certification. Two other ferries of the same class, known as Jumbo Mark II, had been slated to follow the Wenatchee into conversion immediately, part of a state effort to shift the fleet away from diesel power by 2050. Vigor won the bid for those three boats at a cost of $150 million, and the Wenatchee was initially anticipated to be delivered for service in 2024. In March the state announced that those two boats, the Tacoma and the Puyallup, will not be converted until after the 2026 World Cup, when many tourists are anticipated to arrive for the soccer games hosted in Seattle. That directive from Gov. Bob Ferguson led to the announcement that the ferry system will restore several routes, including Bremerton-Seattle, to full service in June. The electrification plan also calls for the building of 16 new hybrid-electric ferries in coming decades, and bids for construction of five, 160-car boats were opened in May. WSF is currently evaluating proposals from two bidders, Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Florida and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Whidbey Island. This week WSF also issued an update on a related project, which will install new electric charging systems at ferry terminals around Puget Sound in anticipation of a hybrid-electric fleet. The agency said Monday that an announcement to award a contract is expected soon, and in-water exploration at two sites, Bainbridge Island and Seattle, will begin in June. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Washington state's first hybrid-electric ferry conversion complete
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Summer ferry schedule about to set sail
The Washington State Ferry System is adding more boats to the fleet this summer. This is part of the updated seasonal ferry schedule to make sure everyone gets where they need to go. They say the main goal is to make the ferries accessible for everyone, meaning with the extra service, people won't have to wait in line for these ferries nearly as long. Right now, there are 15 ferries in service, and soon that number will jump to 18 during the summer months. In total, WSF has 21 operational ferries, but the last three are only rotated in if another ferry is broken. Dana Warr with WSF said the additional Bremerton ferry service begins June 15, the 'Triangle' gets a third boat on June 30, and the Port Townsend/Coupeville line will have increased service every weekend starting July 4. Warr tells us the International Ferry Route to Canada is also in the works, but that won't be in the water until 2030. 'That's very exciting very good news because the less you have to wait the better it is the better your day is,' ferry passenger Kathy Burke said. This is returning the ferry service to almost full capacity, three years ahead of schedule. 'We understand the struggles that the community and people working have had trying to get back and forth we are excited to bring more boats in,' Warr said. Some ferry riders, like Marshall, tell us they see a lot of delays and cancellations. 'We wait all the time, especially for the islands, going out to Friday Harbor, that's the big one. You really have to know your schedules and holidays, anything like that that might be happening,' Marshall said. Burke tells us the increased service will make traveling much easier. 'It's just something you learn to live with when you use the ferries and live in Washington,' Burke said. There can always be unexpected interruptions, so even with the increased service, make sure to check the ferry schedule before you go.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Freebies, discounts and new routes on Washington ferries this summer
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and Washington state's extensive ferry system is ready. Washington State Ferries see double the typical number of riders during the summer months, which the agency calls 'their Superbowl.' If you're one of WSF's 19 million annual riders and plan to use ferries for summer travel, recent changes could have a positive impact on your wait time and wallet. Those changes could cause some short-term cancellations, so it's essential to know alternate routes and how to stay informed. Here are some of the changes that could impact riders this summer. Ferries are returning to nearly full domestic service this summer, nearly three years ahead of schedule. A March 2025 directive from Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson pushed back the planned launch of hybrid electric ferries in favor of restoring full domestic service by summer. 'Since COVID, we have slowly increased service,' said WSF's spokesperson Dana Warr in an interview with McClatchy. 'We have more than 400 sailings a day.' According to WSF, 18 vessels will be added into active service starting in mid-June. Here are some specifics: Seattle/Bremerton route: Two-boat schedule to resume from Sunday, June 15. Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth 'Triangle' route: Pre-pandemic three-boat route schedule will start on Monday, June 30. Port Townsend/Coupeville route: A second vessel will operate on Friday through Monday from July 4 through Oct. 13. San Juan Islands: New summer schedule launching to improve timeliness. Beyond the new service additions, there are several discounts and deals to be aware of on WSF, as well as other regional ferry systems. Free rides WSF allows riders who are 18 and younger to ride for free. Tickets must be obtained at the ferry terminal, not online or at self-serve kiosks, and are good for two hours. Riders also can use an ORCA pass. Drivers under 19 years old must still pay the full adult fare and vehicle fee. The service is part of the state's Move Ahead Washington transportation package, which includes free rides on Amtrak, too. Discounted rides Many customers can get discounts on WSF, including: Reduced fares for the disabled Senior discounts Multi-use passes that lead to savings after a threshold of uses is met You can use the ferry system ticket page to calculate your fare in advance, as prices vary on location and route. Other ferry deals Washington is home to several private, county and island ferry operations, and WSDOT maintains a list of those systems online. A couple that offer deals and discounts include San Juan Safaris and Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries. Wildlife and whale watching tour company San Juan Safaris is partnering with San Juan County to offer free rides to walk-on customers who are traveling between Anacortes and Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries offers reduced fares as well as fare promotion programs like free travel to an attendant on board with a disabled customer. With all of the changes, WSF wants riders to be aware that the new vessels and services are likely to increase the risk of short-term cancellations. Essentially, new services will mean temporary staffing shortages, which could lead to delays for riders in some cases. According to Warr, those delays could be anywhere from 1-3 hours, particularly on heavily-traveled holiday weekends. Other things can lead to delays as well, including impaired customers who drive a vehicle onto the ferry or who cause a disturbance. In fact, a newly-updated policy makes interventions with these types of customers more likely. That could include things like identifying an impaired driver who drove onto the ferry but can't be allowed to drive off, or intervening in a disruption. 'That updated policy empowers staff to make decisions they didn't have the power to make before,' WSF's Warr said, emphasizing that 'ferry crews are not law enforcement.' Those decisions could include things like intervening if a rider becomes disruptive or assisting law enforcement officials on the vessel when the need arises. Even so, Warr notes that they rely on riders to obey the clearly posted signs on boats that list WSF's code of conduct. 'Why start a fight on a ferry?' Warr said. 'There's nowhere to go.' Here are some of WSF's recommendations for riders who want to avoid delays: Text or email alerts: Travel alert bulletins require a free subscription for the service, which is staff-operated from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Overnight alerts are sent on a limited basis. Customer contact center: WSF customer service operates daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 206-464-6400 or 888-808-7977 or by email at wsfinfo@ WSDOT app: The WSDOT app includes ferry schedules, real-time maps and service bulletins. Trip planning tools: Update and planning tools include sailing schedules by route, a real-time map with the current position and status of every vessel and terminal, wait time and camera information. Social and traditional media: Automated rider alerts can be found on the WSF website, on WSF's X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky accounts. Social accounts are monitored Monday through Friday from 8 5 p.m. in order to answer customer questions. Highway signs: WSDOT highway operations update messages on the Highway Advisory Radio System and the Variable Message Systems along state routes leading to ferry terminals Ferries weekly newsletter: High-impact situations, vessel and crew updates and upcoming service disruptions are just part of what customers can access in WSF's weekly newsletter. Customers can view each newsletter and subscribe to the Weekly Update online If you're interested in getting involved in the state ferry system's decision-making process for the upcoming busy season, there will be community meetings on both May 20 and 21. You can find more information online, including how to complete required advanced registration.
Time Magazine
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Time Magazine
Billie Jean King
How much impact can you have with a $5,000 donation? If you're tennis legend Billie Jean King, quite a lot. That's how much King gifted in seed money to launch the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) in 1974—an organization that has since channeled over $100 million into creating opportunities for women in sports through research and grants to individual athletes and nonprofits. That initial gift reflected King's trademark fusion of activism and savvy institution-building, honed during a pivotal year in 1973 when she co-founded the Women's Tennis Association, successfully lobbied the U.S. Open to become the first major tournament to offer equal prize money, and beat Bobby Riggs in the historic 'Battle of the Sexes' match. In the ensuing five decades, she's remained dedicated to advocacy for equality in sports and to philanthropy that supports the power of sports to transform lives and foster social change. Her Billie Jean King Foundation provides grants to the WSF, where she is honorary chair, as well as awards for young sports leaders. Celebrating WSF's 50th anniversary last October, King said, 'We must all remain committed to protecting the progress made, while working toward a future where the playing field is truly level.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA delays electric ferry plan, 3 diesel boats to return
This story was originally published on Washington State Ferries (WSF) is expanding its fleet next month, adding vessels to several key routes ahead of what's expected to be a busy summer season on Puget Sound. 'Governor Ferguson delayed the hybrid electrification for two of the state's largest ferries back in March, which set the table to bring back some vessels three years earlier than planned,' KIRO Newsradio's Nate Connors told 'Seattle's Morning News' on KIRO Newsradio. The additions will bring WSF's total operating vessels to 18, restoring nearly full domestic service, three years earlier than originally projected. Seattle-Bremerton Route: Returns to two-boat service on Sunday, June 15. Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth 'Triangle' Route: Will resume a three-boat schedule beginning Monday, June 30. Port Townsend-Coupeville Route: Gains a second ferry every weekend from Friday, July 4, through Monday, October 13, running Friday through Monday. 'Following the World Cup, the state is still committed to building electric ferries, with the first one in service by 2029,' Nate Connors said. 'Adding three vessels puts the fleet at 18 running full time, with 21 total ready to go.'
