The head of Washington State Ferries is stepping down in early 2024 after three years on the job and more than three decades at the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Patty Rubstello leaves the department at a time of great uncertainty for the ferry system. Crumbling boats and thin staffing have reduced sailings and made service unpredictable. Only 75% of crossings were on time last quarter — well off the goal of 95% — and the fleet regularly bottomed out at just 13 of 21 boats in use, depriving four routes of a ferry they’re expected to have.
Many of the problems facing the ferry system predate Rubstello. She took over in early 2021, when staffing numbers had already started dropping and on-time performance was on the decline. The precarious state of the fleet is the result of years of underinvestment and overreliance on a single contractor, a hand that was dealt before Rubstello’s time.
Still, frustration with the ferries runs deep and the fallout is broadly spread.
In a message to staff last week, Rubstello, 54, said she’s leaving WSDOT to “explore a new chapter in her life” after losing her father and learning she would soon become a grandmother. She did not say what her next job would be.
She celebrated the rewarding times at WSF, including opening the new Colman Dock in downtown Seattle and helping to usher in the electrification of the system.
She also acknowledged the ferries’ challenges.
“As you’re well aware, we’ve had difficult times as well,” she wrote. “Some of my hardest on-the-job decisions have come during my tenure here, especially those regarding service, which affects our customers and you, my coworkers at WSF.”
Rubstello, whose annual salary is $205,000, said she would stay on into early 2024 and step down once a successor is chosen.
Before transferring to the ferry division, Rubstello served as urban mobility director, where she supervised the I-405 express toll lanes, along with the opening of the Highway 99 toll tunnel in 2019.
When she took over the ferry division, about a year into the pandemic, staffing was in free fall, as a wave of captains, mates, deck officers and engineers opted for retirement amid the upheaval of COVID-19. Vaccine requirements ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee added to the departures. The system stumbled as badly as any time in recent memory, with trips routinely being canceled for lack of staff.
While under her management, WSF received a $1.3 billion boost from the Legislature for new and revitalized ferries. In recent months, staffing has improved slightly, with small increases in every position.
“Together, we are making great progress in strengthening our workforce, building our fleet and upgrading our infrastructure to ensure system stability for years to come,” she wrote in the note to staff. “This momentum must continue, and I will do everything I can to make sure your next leader has a good understanding of our situation before stepping down.”
Still, staffing remains short. WSF needs another 22 captains and mates — particularly difficult positions to fill because of how much training and experience is needed for roles. Inslee this month proposed another $16 million in his supplemental budget to hire more crew.
Meanwhile, after negotiations broke down between the state and Vigor Shipyards to build five new boats, officials are preparing to release a new invitation to bid nationwide next year. The hope is to have the first of the new ferries, which will run on electric power, by late 2027. So far, 14 builders have shown interest. Inslee said last week the best-case scenario would be to find multiple builders who could simultaneously work on the boats.
Rubstello declined an interview request Monday.
“Patty is a career public servant and admired leader who will not be easy to replace,” Inslee said in a statement. “Overseeing our ferry system is one of the most important jobs in Washington. We appreciate her staying with us a while longer as WSDOT searches far and wide for her successor.”
Ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, said he had a “great deal of respect” for Rubstello throughout all her years with WSDOT. He suspects overseeing the ferries was likely her toughest job.
“She did everything she could to try to help right the ship when it comes to our ferries,” he said. “I’m kind of surprised she’s departing.”
David Moseley, who led the ferry division under Gov. Chris Gregoire, said it was the best and most challenging job he’s had in a career that includes serving as deputy mayor of Seattle. Because the system is so diffuse and workers so far-flung, communicating with staff and understanding their issues can be a challenge.
“It is a really difficult management job because, unlike most ferry systems where the boats tie up back at a maintenance yard in the evening for maintenance, these boats don’t come back and tie up,” he said. That means endless travel between terminals and routes to get to know the system.
“It’s 24/7, 365,” he said.
