Ferry Loading Guidelines

• Loading lanes fill left to right. Loading will take place in the same order.
• Do not leave gaps. Pull as close as you can to the vehicle in front of you.
• Do not leave your vehicle unattended in the lanes, except to purchase tickets.
• Be in your vehicle with the appropriate tickets at least 20 minutes before boarding.
• Gates close two minutes prior to departure. Once the gate closes, the ferry crew cannot accept any additional vehicles or passengers onto the ferry. This is to ensure the safety of our passengers and crew.
• Please show ID for seniors or people with disabilities when purchasing and loading.
• Traffic cones are used to block closed lanes. If lane is blocked, move to next lane or overflow parking along Martin Street. 
• Vehicles may only load from the ferry lanes. 
• Do not park behind a full lane or drive up behind the end of a lane that is loading—that’s cutting in line and we may deny you passage on that run. 
• Line cutting violations may result in a $48 ticket.
• Oversize vehicles will be loaded to best balance the ferry.
• Be respectful to staff and other ferry users. Hostile or abusive behavior may result in denied passage on that run. 
• Please do not block private driveways or public streets within the loading lanes.
• Motorcycles arriving before boarding begins may park in designated areas below loading lanes. Motorcycles arriving during boarding must get behind vehicles already in lanes and may not pull to the front.

Download Ferry Loading Guidelines poster file.

Boarding Cards

Effective Sept. 25, 2023, the Pierce County Ferry ticketing staff will reimplement the usage of boarding cards that indicate how many passengers are in each vehicle after they scan their vehicle tickets. This system had been in place prior to the pandemic and is to ensure that correct number of tickets are collected efficiently in the loading lanes in Steilacoom. The boarding cards are also cleaned and sanitized regularly.

Once the staff scans your vehicle ticket, along with any additional tickets for the passengers traveling with you in your car, you will receive a card with the total number of tickets scanned. Please return the boarding card to the ferry crew upon boarding the vessel.

In addition to the boarding cards, a second card will be issued to the first and last vehicles in each loading lanes in Steilacoom. This will help address line cutting in the loading lanes. Please return this card, along with the passenger cards, to the crew upon boarding.

Walk-On Passengers

• Must be aboard five minutes prior to departure time.
• While disembarking, wait in the designated area until directed.

Vehicles

• Passengers should consider taking an earlier or later ferry or carpooling to reduce wait times, especially on weekends or holidays.. 
• Must be in line 20 minutes prior to departure time.
• Keep railroad tracks clear at all times.
• For loading lanes, fill Lane 1 first, Lane 2 second, and Lane 3 last.
• Please turn off cell phones when loading and disembarking.
• Follow all crew instructions.
• Drive 5 mph or less.
• Please turn car headlights off and use only parking lights when loading.
• When parking on the ferry deck, pull as close as you can to the vehicle in front of you, set the emergency brake, and turn the engine off.
• Motorcycles arriving before boarding begins may park in designated areas below loading lanes. Motorcycles arriving during boarding must get behind vehicles already in lanes and may not pull to the front.

Extreme low tides

Oversize and low vehicles may be restricted during times of extremely low tides – these are tides of zero feet and below. Vehicles with low-hanging parts (bumpers, hitches, etc.) and extended overhangs from the rear axle (such as recreational vehicles) may be denied access to the ferry during extreme low tides. View NOAA tidal information to plan your travel.

Groups and events

Please email the ferry system at [email protected] at least two weeks in advance of planned events that will bring 10 or more people to Anderson Island. This is not a requirement, but it is helpful for other ferry riders. Events can cause ferry service delays due to more people needing access to the island. We may be able to provide input to help make your event a success. For groups of 10 or more, please help your guests with carpool and shuttle options to reduce ferry service impact.