Upper Decks
BC Ferries is promising to clear up the “mixed messages” on how it handles requests to be loaded on the upper deck from people who want to stay in their vehicles for the crossing.
The Southern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) brought concerns about how BC Ferries decides if it will honour requests to be loaded on the upper car deck from travellers who don’t absolutely require it.
Sunshine Coast passengers have been complaining about being put on the lower decks ever since BC Ferries was forced to follow Transport Canada rules prohibiting people from staying with their cars on “closed” decks.
FAC chair Diana Mumford said what seems to be frustrating a lot of people is the inconsistency in how BC Ferries handles requests for upper deck space. “It’s getting to the point where people are lying down in their cars and covering themselves with coats [to avoid getting caught staying on the lower deck].”
Mark Wilson, BC Ferries vice-president of strategy and community engagement, reminded the committee that the company has been working on the issue, and even tried unsuccessfully to get an exemption from Transport Canada. “We haven’t been the most consistent in the application of the policy, there’s been different variations… We’re definitely trying to educate [crew and passengers], be as consistent and be as accommodating as we can.”
Doug Henning, BC Ferries regional manager for terminal operations, said it’s difficult for the terminal crews to be consistent because every request is different and every sailing has a different traffic pattern.
“Almost everybody that comes through on a given day wants to be on the upper car deck, but you can only accommodate so many people,” he said.
Parking
The concerns coming to the FAC aren’t just about what happens on board, they’re also hearing from the community about the parking situation at Langdale.
Earlier this year BC Ferries hired a company to manage the lot and raised rates to encourage turnover. They’re considering another rate increase in the new year.
Mumford said the concerns she hears are more around availability than cost.
Henning noted that Langdale remains an anomaly. “Everywhere else in our system it’s cheaper to take transit to the terminal and take the ferry as a passenger,” he said. “In Langdale we’re not quite there yet. It seems to be cheaper to drive, park and then take the ferry.”
Mumford said there’s also an issue with transit not serving the whole Coast and suggested BC Ferries could look at a partnership to create Park and Ride lots so people would be able to leave their cars at convenient spots in Sechelt or Gibsons and then take a bus to the terminal.
Resident priority boarding
The Sechelt Chamber of Commerce wants BC Ferries to consider the idea of priority boarding for Coast residents, an idea that’s come up several times in recent years.
The FAC put the Chamber request on the agenda, but it didn’t get an enthusiastic response.
Wilson said BC Ferries has to balance several jobs on top of linking residents with the Lower Mainland, such as moving freight and commercial traffic and serving tourists.
“[Resident priority boarding] is not something that I’m keen on from a corporate perspective furthering and exploring,” he told the committee. “I’m sorry, but that’s where our corporate view is on that.”
Wilson then turned the question around and asked if it’s actually a priority for the FAC.
“For me [the priorities] are on-time performance, no overloads, a [full-time] second ferry,” said Mumford, who added that defining “resident” could be tricky as vacation home owners and other part-time residents could argue for inclusion.
Sechelt FAC representative Ed Steeves commented that any priority boarding system would be a nightmare to police.
