In recent years, West Coast ferry operators and public transportation agencies have been actively investing in vessel retrofits, new builds and shoreside infrastructure projects needed to support newer, greener ferries. One of the biggest ferry investment announcements took place last November, when the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration announced about $220.2 million in grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help pay for service expansion to rural areas, buy vessels and enhance shoreside infrastructure. The 13 grant recipients included the Washington State Department of Transportation, whose Ferry Division received $4.8 million to refurbish six ferries built between…

Washington State Ferries, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and carries tens of millions of riders each year. In late February, state Transportation Secretary Roger Millar announced that career mariner Steve Nevey was being named the assistant secretary for WSF. Nevey, who began in his new position on March 16, succeeded Patty Rubstello, who stepped down from the role after more than 33 years of service with the Washington State DOT. During the two years before being promoted to his current role, served as WSF’s director of marine operations,…