April
9, 2006
Steve
Cox
Guemes
Ferry manager
Skagit County Public Works
1800 Continental Place
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
RE:
11:00 AM ferry schedule Monday thru Saturday
Dear
Steve:
Recently
it has been observed that the third run of the 11:00 AM ferry is unpredictable
for the ridership. The last communication available is Steve Flude’s
memo dated 10/21/02 directing that a “triple” run will be
made each day beginning with the 11:00 AM sailing. In his memo there
was no requirement that everyone taking the second or third run arrive
at the terminal by 11:00 AM. More recently the scheduled third run was
replaced with an “on demand” criterion. Typically the crew
adds extra runs to each of the scheduled runs if passengers/vehicles
are at the dock at the time of loading the ferry and 1) the ferry is
full, 2) there is time to make an extra run prior to the next scheduled
run, and 3) crew breaks, crew lunch, required maintenance or ferry fueling
are not adversely affected.
To
alleviate the confusion it is requested that an additional run at 11:20*
AM, Monday thru Saturday, be added to the schedule. The asterisk (*)
after the 11:20 indicates the run will be made “as soon as practical”.
This schedule modification permits continuous operation giving the crew
the longest possible break for lunch and assures that those who are
at the terminal will be transported according to the “on demand”
basis. On those days requiring vessel fueling, maintenance or crew training
which require elimination of a second run of the 11:20* AM schedule
a notice will be posted at each terminal prior to the 7:55 AM run to
this effect.
In
the minutes of the 4/23/04 Roundtable it was agreed that future schedule
changes would be made through the process of county resolution. We feel
that this change is necessary to clarify, for the ridership, the expectations
of service during this part of the day.
Thank
you for your assistance in correcting this scheduling issue.
Guemes
Island Ferry Committee