Cheers to the 2023 holiday season and the many opportunities that lie ahead in the new year!

WSDOT employees are invited to submit story ideas, photos and feedback for the next employee newsletter by emailing WSFEmployeeComms@wsdot.wa.gov.

Here's a look at what's included in the December employee newsletter:

Watch the summer 2024 all-staff meeting recording from Aug. 7.

Severe Weather Contingency Plan updates

Every day, we make critical decisions to ensure the safety and security of our customers. As winter approaches, updates to our Severe Weather Contingency Plan will help staff better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.

Key updates

Review the revised Severe Weather Contingency Plan on the “Other Publications” page on SMS Online.

All employees should familiarize themselves with the spreadsheet and its instructions for smooth operations during severe weather events.

Additionally, weather-related policies and procedures will be updated in the 2025 SMS revision cycle.

By staying informed and prepared, our dedicated terminal and vessel crews are equipped to navigate winter challenges and ensure the ferry system operates safely and efficiently.

Lessons from January freeze

Last winter’s record cold snap highlighted key areas to monitor, including water supply, sewage systems and restroom facilities. Real-time updates from staff were essential for an efficient response and will be critical moving forward.

Preparing for winter weather

Next steps

What’s New at HQ?

The holiday season is a time to reflect – appreciate the good, learn from challenges and look ahead with fresh focus.

This year, we’ve made big strides in building a stronger, more resilient ferry system. Together, we tackled challenges, adapted to change and stayed focused on our three priorities:

Customer service: We’ve seen a 10% increase in on-time performance and a 15% decrease in customer complaints. We also launched a new customer feedback tool and made improvements to our website and social media presence.

Safety: We’ve had a 20% decrease in lost-time injuries and a 30% decrease in near-miss incidents. We also completed several safety audits and implemented new safety measures, including a new SCBA mask and multi-gas detector kits for engine rooms.

Operational efficiency: We’ve increased ridership by 5% and decreased our operating costs by 3%. We also completed several maintenance projects and made improvements to our shipyard operations.

Looking ahead to 2025, there’s much to be excited about. Our core values – Serve, Respect, Grow, Trust, Navigate – will guide us as we keep building on this progress.

The holidays are also a time for family and traditions. I know many of you will have to make sacrifices during this time as we are a non-stop operation.

I am truly appreciative to everyone who plays a part in keeping us running: our vessel crews, terminal staff, maintenance teams, marine operations watch supervisors, dispatchers, customer service agents, administrative staff, and the many others working behind the scenes. Your dedication is what drives this organization forward, and I couldn’t be more grateful for your hard work and commitment.

Cheers to a joyful holiday season and the many opportunities that lie ahead in the new year!

As always, thank you for all that you do.

Employee Spotlight

Matt Cahoon

Ordinary Sailor

For those traveling on our “Triangle” route, Matt Cahoon has become one of the friendly faces they see when boarding a vessel.

In his role as an ordinary sailor, Matt works on both the passenger and car decks. He is responsible for helping to make sure the deck crew is prepared for a multitude of scenarios, such as emergency situations, passenger incidents, weather conditions and much more.

Being able to interact with passengers is one of Matt’s favorite parts of his job. He said one of the most rewarding things is, “When a passenger thanks me for simply being here.”

Matt keeps a few items in mind at the start of each day on board.

“Know your position, be ready and alert,” he said. “First is listen, know what others are expecting you to do. Don't let complacency dictate your day. Most of all take the time to learn. The more you know the more you will be prepared.”

Before WSF, Matt was a race car mechanic, which gives him a unique perspective on his current role.

“Knowing you had to rebuild an engine and get back on track in a few hours but not stress out gave me a realization on how to not just react but deal with what needs to be done,” he said.

Early in 2024, Matt was living in Arizona and realized that he wanted to work at WSF. He went through the hiring process while in Arizona and then accepted the position. Less than a month later, Matt had dropped everything and was living in Washington, embarking on his new career.

Matt keeps busy with three passions outside of work, with mountain biking, sailing and BBQ sauce taking up most of his time