Washington State Ferries Terminal Wait Times and Traveler Information

Project Description

The Washington State Ferry System is responsible for carrying millions of passengers per year in the waterways around the Seattle area. In publishing a Long-Range Plan in 2019, the agency outlined key improvements to be made over the next 20 years. One of the tenets of the plan is improving customer experience by more accurately conveying real-time wait time reports to passengers to better inform trip planning decisions. By being more accurate and transparent with wait times, the agency hopes to reduce unnecessary queuing and customer dissatisfaction. This project aims to evaluate best practices for line management and wait time analysis, both within the field of public transportation as well as external sources and review domestic transit agencies’ best practices for convey wait time information to passengers. The project will make policy recommendations based on these findings as well as interviews with ferry staff and passengers.