David Moseley, assistant secretary for the Washington State Department of Transportation, Ferries Division announced his resignation Tuesday.
Moseley said he is proud of what he’s been able to accomplish, “but it is now time for the next person to build on our successes, correct our mistakes and continue to move the system forward,” according to a statement released on the agency’s website.
Moseley’s last day will be April 15. He served in this position overseeing the country’s largest ferry system since 2008.
Moseley said he came to the position with four major priorities in mind: build new ferries, provide better maintenance, improve customer relations and find sustainable funding sources, the statement said..
“I believe we’ve made real, tangible progress on all of those priorities,” he said.
The system employs roughly 1,700 workers and operates 22 vessels which serve more than 22 million passengers a year.
Moseley’s leadership is widely believed to have contributed to a restoration of public faith and garnered legislative support for a number of important projects.
Lawmakers have approved three new 144-car vessels, the first of which will set sail on the Mukilteo-Clinton route this summer. In addition, funding for three 64-car replacement ferries has also been approved.
Moseley also saw his share of controversy. In 2010 lawmakers ended reimbursement to and from terminals for ferry workers. An investigation revealed that Washington State Ferries paid nearly $6.4 million in reimbursements to 700 workers in 2009, according to the Everett Herald.
In the summers of 2012 and 2013, sailings were cancelled due to a lack of crew, something Moseley apologized for last fall.
Moseley said he believes he did his best, and is looking forward to a new chapter.
“Now I look forward to the next challenge,” Moseley said in his online statement. “I don’t know what that will be. I’ve had a few interesting conversations but really have no concrete plan yet. Instead, I intend on taking a few months to explore new possibilities.”
