OLYMPIA – The Mosquito Fleet is one step closer to making a comeback thanks to a bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Nance (D-Kitsap). With HB 1923, local transportation districts could be allowed to purchase and operate passenger-only ferries.
“Folks have waited six years for new boats and our neighbors across Kitsap and the Puget Sound are hurting,” said Rep. Nance. “As we work to restore reliable service, we can think outside the box to find ways to get folks to work, to school, and to the doctor.”
In the early 20th century, the Puget Sound was traversed by passenger and freight boats operated by private companies, a hodgepodge combination of steamers and sternwheelers that became known as the Mosquito Fleet. With over 40 routes in operation during peak years, the mosquito fleet gave Puget Sound residents a range of destination options from Olympia to the Hood Canal and up into Canada.
House bill 1923 would usher in a new era of the mosquito fleet by expanding the entities that can create Passenger Only Ferry (POF) service to include counties, municipalities, ports, tribes, regional transit authorities, and special purpose districts.
“We can get passenger-only ferries for a fraction of the price tag of a car-carrying vessel,” said Rep. Nance. “And we can purchase used vessels to get boats in the water even faster. It’s a right-now solution for a right-now problem.”
Allowing passenger-only ferries to operate brings added benefits, like bolstering transportation capacity ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and supporting workforce development and tourist-dependent small business across the state.
The bill passed the House on Thursday with a vote of 87 to 8 and now proceeds to the Senate for consideration.