Here’s a holiday reminder for Water Taxi users. The Vashon and West Seattle routes of the King County Water Taxi will not be in service on Monday, Dec. 26, the observed Christmas holiday or Monday, Jan. 2, the observed New Year’s Day holiday. Do you use Metro Transit? Buses will also be operating on holiday…
Water taxi operations will continue to Vashon and West Seattle in 2017 and 2018, thanks to a recent vote of the King County Council. Last month, the Council approved the two-year budget proposed by County Executive Dow Constantine, which provides the funding needed to operate the service used by over a half-million riders each year.…
Officer on deck! West Seattle Water Taxi riders already recognize deckhand Nick Williams, and know him for his great sense of humor and unflappable and easygoing attitude. Get ready to salute, though. Nick recently received his captain’s license from the United States Coast Guard, and last week started driving the West Seattle route as a…
The open secret in West Seattle’s Junction and Alki areas is that the Water Taxi provides free shuttles to connect riders to the dock for your quick cruise across Elliott Bay. Last year nearly 126,000 riders used the shuttles for commuting, sightseeing, and sometimes both! The Water Taxi provides two routes in West Seattle, operating daily…
Hard to believe, but it’s already been a year since the MV Doc Maynard first launched. When a milestone like that comes up, it’s time for an important checkup. Last week passengers again rode the MV Spirit of Kingston to and from West Seattle, while the Doc Maynard was temporarily out of service in drydock…
Water taxi riders know there is strong ridership and continued demand for service on both the Vashon and West Seattle routes. Paul Brodeur, director of King County’s Marine Division which operates the service, spoke with Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Editor Anneli Fogt about the upcoming funding decision needed by the County Council. The County Executive will…
The evening water taxi sailings to Vashon continue to set ridership records. On July 26, we carried 241 passengers on the 5:30 p.m. sailing from Pier 50. This surpasses the previous record sailing – 237 – on a commute day set just a few weeks ago. West Seattle also has seen a rise in commuter…
There is a reason for the faint whiff of fried chicken or french fries while waiting to board the Water Taxi. It’s not from the ship’s galley. It comes from the used cooking oil mixed in the fuel. We take seriously the goals in our King County Strategic Climate Action Plan, which sets ambitious targets to…
The Water Taxi is not only a transit option, it can save lives when called into service during an emergency. Over the past six years, our vessel crews have performed eight in-water rescues of paddle boarders, kayakers, and divers who got into trouble on the waters of Elliott Bay. The Water Taxi also stands ready…
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