Lynne Griffith of Pierce Transit is the new boss at Washington State Ferries.

State Department of Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson announced the appointment of the 64-year-old public transportation veteran to the Ferries top post Sept. 10.

Griffith, with 35 years’ experience in the transit, airlines and rail industries, but no maritime background, was selected assistant secretary of DOT’s Ferries division from a field of 80 applicants, and in a second search to secure a replacement for former WSF chief David Moseley, who resigned from the post earlier this year.

“Our ferry system is an iconic symbol of the state of Washington and a vital link in our statewide transportation system,” Peterson said. “It will be in good hands with Assistant Secretary Griffith.”

Griffith, who was slated to step down as CEO of Pierce Transit at the end of the year, will begin her new assignment at WSF in early October. In addition to the top post at Pierce Transit, Griffith is former CEO of Clark County’s C-Tran and managed bus and specialized transportation for those with disabilities at Atlanta’s MARTA, among the largest transit authorities in the nation.

Washington State Ferries operates a fleet of 22 boats, carries more than 22 million passengers annually with 163,000 sailings, and boasts a workforce of roughly 1,700 employees.