In southeast Kansas, a lot of them are part-time,

A wholly unrealistic mandate to compete against itself with an aging fleet, aging workforce and and ailing infrastructure make a public accounting of the Coastal Ferry Act a necessity.

They're like a family up here in the north. The ship was like their home.

I think it's absolutely critical that I be here.

As marine workers, our first and foremost concern is with the passengers we service. We're committed to improved safety to ensure no family faces such a tragedy again.

They're working the system. They've had everything handed to them on a silver platter. I'm a single mother, too. And I work all day, six days a week.