The Sankaty ferry was back up and running Monday after a crew shortage caused the Steamship Authority to cancel all of the freight ferry’s trips on Sunday.
The Sankaty ferry was back up and running Monday after a crew shortage caused the Steamship Authority to cancel all of the freight ferry’s trips on Sunday.
The U.S. Coast Guard has certain manning requirements for boats and one crew member who called out of work could not be replaced to make sailing possible, said Steamship Authority spokesperson Sean Driscoll.
Mr. Driscoll said he could not give the crew member’s position, but each vessel needs a certain number of captains, pilots and seamen to run. The Steamship Authority tried to find a backup but was unsuccessful.
The cancellations came the day before schools went back into session after a weeklong break. Some customers were able to be put on other boats, though others did leave their cars on the mainland and traveled as walk-on passengers, Mr. Driscoll said.
The Authority was allowing those customers to park for free in the Palmer avenue lot.
The Sankaty resumed service on Monday with its 6:30 a.m. scheduled trip from Woods Hole. The ferry usually makes a 5:30 a.m. run from Vineyard Haven as its first trip of the day, but construction at the Island terminal suspended that service.
Mr. Driscoll said he had seen questions on why the Steamship Authority didn’t have a back-up crew available for these types of crew shortages. But the ferry line needs to make financially prudent decisions, he said.
“We can’t just pay people to sit around waiting,” he said.
Comments
“We can’t just pay people to
Marty“We can’t just pay people to sit around waiting” - Mr. Driscoll. Actually you can. As an essential, and often only, transportation service to the islands it would be cavalier not to! Put workers on an "on call" rotation. You know, as medical care providers, other transportation services, maintenance people, heck even restaurants do. If you are concerned about prudent finances in the future maybe look to limiting re-designs and over-builds of outrageous new terminals.
Can we increase fares to pay
Albert GosnoldCan we increase fares to pay people to sit around?
Airlines cancel based on crew availability, pilots and maintenance crew.
They try to keep their costs down.
Do we really care about SSA costs?
The Steamship Authority is
John Timmons Falmouth, MAThe Steamship Authority is pretty heartless when there is an opportunity to go one inch out of their way to not leave people stranded. Especially if the company stands to save a few bucks in not doing so.
one crew worker calls in sick
Michael edgartownone crew worker calls in sick? the whole day collapses because one crew member calls in sick? and this is acceptable? after the head start fiasco, and trip cancellation due to trip consolidation, and now this? and these management people stilll have jobs there?
The airlines have pilots,
maleeka ob and baltimoreThe airlines have pilots, flight attendants, as required crewmembers on standby, known as 'reserve'. What is the issue with the SSA crews? (the airlines are highly unionized so don't blame the unions here.. blame the management)
The best I can do to express
Anna Edey Vineyard HavenThe best I can do to express my outrage, is to ditto the perfect words from Marty:
"“We can’t just pay people to sit around waiting” - Mr. Driscoll. Actually you can. As an essential, and often only, transportation service to the islands it would be cavalier not to! Put workers on an "on call" rotation. You know, as medical care providers, other transportation services, maintenance people, heck even restaurants do. If you are concerned about prudent finances in the future maybe look to limiting re-designs and over-builds of outrageous new terminals".
And the equally perfect words by Michael:
"one crew worker calls in sick? the whole day collapses because one crew member calls in sick? and this is acceptable? after the head start fiasco, and trip cancellation due to trip consolidation, and now this? and these management people stilll have jobs there?"
Dear Friends, what can we do about it?
And dear Editors - thank you for allowing this echo. These two quotes need to go viral!
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