King County Water Taxi now less likely to leave you behind

11:54 AM: King County has been working to get approval for higher capacity on its two Water Taxi vessels (as first mentioned in January) – and County Councilmember Joe McDermott says that permission has just been received. The West Seattle boat, Rachel Marie, and Vashon boat, Melissa Ann, had been certified to carry up to 150 people each; now, each is certified for up to 172. Councilmember McDermott says the 5:30 pm sailing to Vashon last night was the first to utilize the new capacity, carrying 163 people; the island trips, he says, “regularly sell out.” During all of last year, 130 trips sailed at the 150-passenger capacity, between the two runs, and without the capacity increase, McDermott says, this year would have beaten that.

7:11 PM NOTE: The county sent a news release about this late today – see it here.

Common August 22, 2012 (1:22 pm)

Less likely to leave you behind, just as likely to break down and leave you stranded on the beach with no other transit alternative to get into town. Hope you’re on vacation!

WSB August 22, 2012 (1:43 pm)

Which is why, as previously reported, two new boats are in the works.

O August 22, 2012 (2:50 pm)

I’ve been riding the WT every work day for about 6 months now. It has not been unavailable to me once, or left me stranded to West Seattle yet.

Carole August 22, 2012 (4:26 pm)

Nice to know – a few weeks ago my grandson and I were the 151st and 152nd in line at the Seattle dock and ended up waiting an hour for the next run.

Common August 22, 2012 (4:29 pm)

Right, super reliable.
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https://westseattleblog.com/2012/01/west-seattle-water-taxi-engine-trouble-reported
https://westseattleblog.com/2012/05/west-seattle-water-taxi-trouble-mechanical-problem-for-rachel-marie
https://westseattleblog.com/2012/08/commuter-alert-west-seattle-water-taxi-trouble
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Hopefully those new boats come with some new maintenance crews.

Wallace August 23, 2012 (9:11 am)

Do they have life perserves for 150 or 172 like every other boat on the water has to have the same jackets per rider? Or is the Gov’t exempt from their own rules?