Letter: State must deliver on promises for state ferry system

Published 1:30 am Saturday, January 17, 2026

Editor,

Washington State Ferries’ crew shortages continue to cancel crucial sailings on Mukilteo-Clinton and Port Townsend-Coupeville routes, stranding Whidbey Islanders despite $40 million for hiring and House Bill 1264’s wage fixes. Gov. Bob Ferguson’s task force addressed this, yet performance lags with recent one-boat cuts and 96.6 percent completion rates hiding delays.

Electric ferries get billions, but without crew, schedules fail because no one runs the boats. Mandate recruitment targets, overtime caps, and oversight from transportation chairs Rep. Jake Fey (jake.fey@leg.wa.gov) and Sen. Marko Liias (marko.liias@leg.wa.gov). Ferry-dependent communities deserve performance over promises.

“Ferguson: The Ferry Failure” seems like appropriate headline, unless we see action led by our representatives.

Arthur Nowell

Coupeville