BC Ferries says it had about 4,000 responses to an online survey about schedule changes for the Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route before it ended July 8.
Deborah Marshall, executive director of public affairs with BC Ferries, told Coast Reporter this week that as well as the online responses, about 600 people talked to company reps at the terminals and at booths set up on selected days at the Gibsons Public Market, Sechelt Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market and during the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival.
Although it’s going to take time to analyze the results, some clear themes are emerging, Marshall said.
“Customers want more frequent sailing times – for example, hourly sailings or more sailings at peak commuter times,” she said. “Customers want our service to be on time, which we certainly appreciate too. Customers want sailings to align with transit schedules, as well as connect to the Powell River service [Earls Cove-Saltery Bay]. The top priority is [sailings at] commuting times.”
The response was so good that plans to survey travellers at the terminals on July 4 and 5 were cancelled. BC Ferries had also planned to hold public events on July 18 and 27 to report on the feedback. Those events have now been put off until late summer, and Marshall said the company hopes to set new dates soon.
“The next step will be to come out with some proposed schedules based on the feedback,” said Marshall, explaining that those proposals will be the ones BC Ferries believes it can implement and the company will want to hear which options residents prefer.
Foot Passenger Loading Trial
Meanwhile, BC Ferries’ latest move to try to shave a few minutes off the loading and unloading times is already getting mixed reaction on social media.
The company announced July 8 that is was planning a one-week trial that would change the way foot passengers load at Langdale. Instead of letting foot passengers get on the ferry before vehicles start loading and again after all the vehicles are on, BC Ferries is planning to load all the foot passengers after the vehicles. The change will also apply to cyclists.
Comments on community Facebook groups and in letters to Coast Reporter have ranged from concerns that foot passengers would be forced to stand outside longer in bad weather or find it harder to make their way to the stairs with luggage in tow, to complaints that it would mean foot passengers end up last in line at the cafeteria.
“We certainly want customers to give us their feedback on it,” said Marshall. “What we’re thinking is that if we have foot passengers go on as one group instead of two groups that may save us a few minutes every time at Langdale. We’re looking for any opportunities to make up a few minutes here and a few minutes there.”
The trial period started Wednesday and will continue until July 18. Marshall said regardless of how the new system works out, the company is still planning to build a passenger walkway at Langdale, similar to the walkways at Horseshoe Bay, as part of the terminal upgrades.
The language in the BC Ferries release announcing the trial suggests the company was prepared for people’s first reaction to be negative.
“We are inviting our customers to please work with us on this, try something new, and help us explore opportunities to improve on-time performance,” the release said.
Marshall said BC Ferries is confident they’ll be able to tell at the end of a week whether it’s worth making the change permanent.
