It took a week, but the fix for the new Washington State Ferries online vehicle reservation system problems is here — in waves.
Immediately after it launched on Tuesday, April 14, the new Save a Spot reservation system for popular summer ferry travel sank under the “large volume of customers that attempted to make summer reservations,” according to a WSF statement. Among those swept under by the tide of demand was GeekWire’s John Cook, who described errors during his attempts to book a June reservation to Lopez Island online, and then busy signals when he tried to call.
The solution to digital high seas? Take it one surge at a time.
The Washington State Department of Transportation will now be releasing online and phone summer reservations for the Anacortes/Sidney B.C. and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes on Wednesday, April 22.
For Anacortes/San Juan Islands, summer reservations will be taken in phases, with the first third of vehicle space on all sailings released for reservation in six waves starting Tuesday, April 28.
Meanwhile, WSF notes the system was able to confirm 4,441 reservations last Tuesday — out of “tens of thousands” of customer attempts — before it was swamped and capsized.
“This is a new program,” commented Assistant Secretary for the Washington State Ferries Division Lynne Griffith. “We have learned from this experience and will be adjusting the reservations system so it meets our goal of providing customers the ability to plan ahead and avoid long waits.”
