Washington State Ferries, the nation’s largest ferry system, was once known for its extremely reliable on-time performance.

Our ferries are an essential part of our state’s infrastructure — providing goods, services, transport to medical appointments and facilitating tourism to island communities.

But in recent years, this majestic icon of the state has devolved from the pinnacle of public transit into complete disarray. Fares seem to rise at an inverse rate to the quality of service being provided. Poor management and a lack of investment in planning for the future has plummeted the agency into a shortage of boats, crew and public trust.

In 2023, there were more than 3,500 canceled sailings. The two biggest drivers of canceled sailings are a lack of essential engine room crew and a backlog of maintenance and repairs needed for the aging fleet. Both are due to poor management decisions and a lack of value placed on essential crew.

When there is not enough engine room crew, boats tie up, causing a ripple effect on the people, businesses and communities that depend on them. Because of a global mariner shortage and wages that lag way behind equivalent maritime workers, the state isn’t able to recruit or retain sufficient staff to meet the system’s needs. As a result, our crew is stretched to the breaking point by the state’s over-reliance on overtime.

Washington State Ferry engine room crew, represented by our union, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, are in contract negotiations now. We have offered multiple options to reduce overtime costs, improve working conditions, allow more flexibility in dispatching and address the wage disparity management created by paying engine room crew 20% less than our deck counterparts of the same rank.

But the state has been unwilling to address the problems we know are plaguing the ferry system — often not even having the courtesy to give a response or explanation. They claim to value engineers as much as deck crew but they send us a different message when we receive our paycheck.

The state’s refusal to take the necessary steps to build the workforce we need is a page out of the same failed playbook that led to our shortage of operational vessels. Failure to provide competitive wages necessary to attract experienced engine room crew has a snowballing effect and spells a gloomy future for our ferry system.

Engineers need a cornucopia of documentation to meet regulatory requirements put in place by the United States Coast Guard to ensure safe operations. Unlicensed engine room employees require over 1,000 days of work onboard a vessel before they become eligible to take a series of difficult exams that qualify them to receive their license as an engineer officer.

Most ferry riders are familiar with ferry staff who sell and take tickets, and dock and deck workers who guide the loading and unloading of vehicles and passengers. They know there’s a captain at the helm.

What is not as visible, but essential to ensuring safe and on-time ferry service, are the engine room crew: oilers, wipers and engineer officers. The work we do is serious, dangerous and complex. We are constantly in a loud, dirty and hot environment that exists below the car deck of the ferries. Engineers are the prime movers of the fleet, planning and performing preventative, predictive, alternative and corrective maintenance and ensuring safe operations by monitoring the various systems on board the ship during transit and maneuvering.

We are trained in a variety of emergencies ranging from vessel hijacking to firefighting; vessel crew are first responders. We take pride and ownership of the vessels we are assigned to, and care for these boats like they’re a family member because we know our passengers rely on us for the safe passage of their families.

Engine room crew members are the lifeblood of Washington State Ferries.

I am a dedicated public servant, proud of my life’s work to safely and reliably transport the goods, ferry-dependent community members, and tourists of the great state of Washington across the waters of Puget Sound.

Our riders, particularly residents of Vashon and the San Juan Islands who have no other transit options, deserve better service. Continuing to ignore ferry workforce burnout and shortage is a slap in the face to crew members, and to communities who depend on our ferries.

You can support the changes needed by adding your name to ask Governor Inslee to fix the crew shortage, and help engineers do what we do best: keep the boats running!

Chris Schneider is an Alternate Staff Chief Engineer on the M/V Issaquah.