Haugen sets new course for WSF

OLYMPIA — In addition to a new chief, Washington State Ferries is getting a new set of sailing orders that directs them to lay out a precise plan for vessel maintenance, preservation and replacement.

“Some people might complain that this approach is too prescriptive, that we’re trying to legislate too much,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island. “But the way I see it, prescribing a good dose of oversight and accountability is exactly what this patient needs.”

Haugen, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, is filing legislation requiring Washington State Ferries (WSF) to implement the latest findings of a ferry study conducted by the Joint Transportation Committee.

The immediate impact of the legislation will be to require WSF to develop a vessel rebuild and replacement plan that provides a timeline for vessel acquisition and identifies future capital needs.

“They need to be able to come up with an outline of which ferries are due to retire at what dates based on their expected service life,” said Haugen. “From there, it’s only a matter of counting back the number of years it takes to procure a new vessel, and putting that on the calendar. Once they’ve given us their outline, the Legislature can set a schedule for appropriating the necessary funds.”

WSF will also be required to develop a vessel maintenance and preservation program that takes a vessel’s or terminal’s entire life-cycle cost into account. It will include developing a vessel deployment plan to ensure that the fleet is being used as efficiently as possible, measures to maximize efficiency by reducing dry-dock time, and notifying the legislature of any vessels not being maintained according to it’s established schedule.

“We shouldn’t have to legislate these kinds of things,” said Haugen. “But it’s time for WSF to get some guidance on what we expect from them.”

A longer term aspect of the bill includes a Joint Transportation Committee review of the WSF’s development service standards, ridership forecasts, operational strategies, terminal design standards, a long range capital plan, an updated life cycle cost model, and vessel rebuild and replacement plans. Also required will be a vessel sizing study, a review of maintenance expenditures, and a 2009 evaluation of WSF’s vessel maintenance and preservation program.

The bill, not yet numbered, is already scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the Cherberg Building.

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