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A Publication Featuring The Information Services Technology of Maine State Government
| Volume IV, Issue 8 | August 2001 |
By Janey Barton
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The Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS), part of the Maine Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Office of Passenger Transportation, is headed by Leroy (Butch) Sawtelle, who works at the ferry terminal building in Rockland. Butch started at MDOT in 1968 and last November became manager. Butch’s responsibilities include transportation analysis, expenses, payroll, and serving on ferry advisory boards (members from island and mainland towns, plus county representatives). Butch said: "It’s really a good job, and I get a tremendous amount of cooperation from crews and personnel." |
Currently, the MSFS has five regular boats and two others are kept as spares in case of breakdown. Each runs with a captain, the master of the vessel, an engineer who handles the engines and mechanical operations, and two able seamen who load and unload vehicles, steer while at sea, and tie up the boat at night. There are two captains and engineers per boat, plus four able seamen, working seven days on and seven off, plus intermittent workers for all positions. MSFS is funded 50% from fares and 50% from the State’s General Fund, since they are "highways" to island towns.
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Susan Giegold, the Supervisor of Office Services, is responsible for ticketing and online services. Originally from New Jersey, Susan is a graduate of Seton Hall University, has lived in Maine for years, and is married to a Mainer. Susan is really excited about a new reservation system being developed by Gateway. This new Galaxy Reservations System is scheduled for installation in late September, and will offer many improvements to aid both agents and passengers. |
| MSFS Port Captain Nick Lobkowicz says with a smile, "I get paid to fool around with boats." Originally from the Boston area, Nick has lived locally since the early 1970s. Nick is a former Coast Guardsman, a Chief Warrant Officer and Deck Watch Officer, who worked on marine safety on destroyer-sized cutters. He has overall responsibility for MSFS boats and crews, schedules major overhauls and shipyard repairs, and ensures Coast Guard requirements are met. | |
There is a lot of technology and electronic gear on ferries. These include a satellite navigation system, GPS (which gives a continuous readout of latitude and longitude), autopilot, chart plotter, electronic depth sounder, primary and backup radars, daylight radars, and VHF marine radios. The most recently added technology is a collision-avoidance system. Nick noted how difficult it is to see kayakers, and said, "I hope that the Ferry Service will keep pace with improving technology." He observes captains and crew "can’t rely on any one thing exclusively", and despite invaluable assistance from technologies, "you must use your eyes"!
Use your eyes to observe, via live videocam from Butch Sawtelle’s office, Rockland Harbor and whichever ferry is currently in the "pen" at http://www.maine.gov/dmr_webcam/rockland/. View ferry schedules and information at http://www.maine.gov/mdot/opt/ferry/ferry.htm.
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