With summer around the corner, Washington's ferry service is still struggling

These days, increasingly erratic ferry services make driving on a ferry for a quick trip into a big gamble.

No one knows that more than island residents trying to manage appointments, or workers who depend on the ferries to get to their jobs every day.

The summer season is right around the corner. With it comes a lot more riders. How is the Washington ferry system preparing?

Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke to Dana Warr, deputy director of communications for Washington State Ferries about service changes and the aging ferry fleet.

Staffing issues have also played a role in creating the inconsistent ferry schedule riders have come to know over the past few years. Current workers are getting older and retiring, and there aren't enough people ready to replace them.

That's a problem programs like the Seattle Maritime Academy are trying to fix, but a massive budget crisis within Seattle Colleges threatens their longevity.

Denkmann caught up with Danny Blanchard, a Seattle Maritime Academy administrator and port captain as he was leaving a high school career fair.