Washington State FerriesJuly 12, 2017

Triangle Schedule Basics

Sailing schedules must meet varying constraints

Demand• Customer travel patterns• On time performanceSupply• Crew work rules

– Driven by labor agreements and regulations

• Vessel availability • Terminal constraints• Budgeted hours and fuel• Time for logistical functions (i.e.

water, sewage, stores)

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Route background (recap)

• Basic components– Destinations– Dwell time– Crossing time

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Vashon

SouthworthFauntleroy

15 min

22.5 min

12.5 min

Route logistics – crossing times and slips

• Vessels and crossings– Three vessels– Three destinations– One slip at Fauntleroy and

Southworth– Two drive on slips and one

tie up slip at Vashon– Different crossing times

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Vashon

SouthworthFauntleroy

Route ops: In practice

• How it all fits– Vessel travels between

destinations over time– Vessel spends time loading

and unloading at destinations– Vessel spends time in transit– Vessel interacts with other

vessels

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Fauntleroy Vashon Southworth

3pm

4pm

5pm

6pm

7 pm

Vessel 2Vessel 1

15 min

WSF Logistical ConsiderationsEngine crews work 12/12 shifts

± 30 minutes (i.e. up to 11½-12½ hours) Two shifts

per day

Work one week on, one week off

Usually relieve on east side of Puget Sound

Deck crews work shifts of 7/8/9/10 hoursOvertime can’t be scheduled

Shifts can’t exceed 80 hours per two weeks

Usually relieve on west side of Puget Sound

But: vessels with 24-hour staffing on east sideDeck Relief Locations

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WSF Logistical Considerations

Vessels tie up at a terminal on theirroute

Usually on the west side of Puget Sound• Closer to morning inbound, night

outbound traffic

Vessel Tie-up Locations

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WSF Logistical Considerations

Vessel Service Hours – Legislature’s budget, WSF’s bargaining agreementsVessel #1 – 24 hours/day

Vessel #2 – 16 hours/day

Vessel #3 – 16 hours/day

• Fall/Spring weekends #3 vessel – 8 hours/day

• Winter weekends #3 vessel – 0 hours/day

Engine room crew on board 24 hours/day

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WSF Logistical Considerations

Vessel Deck Crew Shift Start/Stop, [Relief Points]Vessel #1 – 0505-1305-2105-0505 [Fauntleroy]

Vessel #2 – 0345-1145-1945 (1 hour later on weekends) [Vashon]

Vessel #3 – 0530-1330; (gap) 1400-2200 [Vashon]

• Summer weekends # 3 vessel – 0800-1600; 1545-2345 [Vashon]

• Fall/Spring weekends # 3 vessel – 0900-1700 (Sat.); 1200-2000 (Sun.) [Vashon]

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WSF Crew Schedule Example

S M T W T F S S M T W T F SAM A A A A A B B A A A A A B B

PM B B B C C C C B B B C C C C

Graveyard C D D D D D C D D D D D

This pattern is a two week pay period cycle and shows how a 16 hour vessel or 24 hour vessel is crewed.

Service Planning and Scheduling Roles

• Annually / biannually– Legislatively budgeted hours by

route and vessel class• 4 times per year

– Schedule production• Ongoing

– Ridership and on time analysis– Service change requests

• Special projects– Occasional review and significant

revisions of schedules– Construction related changes– Budget related changes

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Schedule Production• Sailing Schedule Season start minus 5 months

– Preliminary– Reviews – Internal, Ferry Advisory Committees– Final

• Graphic “fishbone” Fauntleroy schedule• Tide cancellations• Deck schedule and crew review• Vessel assignments• Foundation database• Printed schedule• Digital schedule - web, APIs, GTFS• Reservations Available Season minus 2 months• Best times to travel• Distribution of printed schedule• Season starts 4 times per year

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Where do we go from here?

Proposed work-back schedule• Jan. 2019: Winter sailing schedule begins – modified Fauntleroy/Vashon/Schedule

• Nov. 2018: Winter 2019 schedule released

• Aug. 2018: Proposed schedule ready for final review and production

• April-July 2018: Public outreach on proposed sailing schedule

• Jan.-April 2018: Preliminary review of proposed schedule (FACs, crew, legislators)

• Aug. 2017-Jan. 2018: Triangle Task Force develops proposed schedule

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Next Meeting, August 10

How did the current schedule get to be the way it is?• Fishbone diagram with notations – who is using what sailings?

• Vessels assignments – how did we get here and what is ahead?

• What’s been happening with ridership patterns and volumes?

• What changes have been made over time to the schedule and why?

Additional questions?

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