The following letter was sent to Rob Clarke, CFO of B.C. Ferries, and copied to Coast Reporter for publication.
As a regular daily passenger on Route 3, I would like to give you my feedback on the 2010 shoulder season ferry schedule, which changes the 5:30 p.m. sailing to 5:50 p.m.
Although I understand the difficulties in managing the multiple objectives of the Horseshoe Bay terminal operations, I think the main source of frustration being voiced by the Route 3 passengers is the relatively low priority that appears to have been placed on our need to get home at a reasonable time.
We are still resentful that, due to the privatization of B.C. Ferries, the current key objective of profitability has introduced financial constraints that limit solutions to the problems affecting our needs.
For example, in regard to keeping the sailings on time, I suspect there are ways to improve procedures to make them more efficient in loading and unloading the Langdale ferry, albeit with increased costs for additional staff or equipment. Since profitability would be unfavourably impacted by such improvements, it appears they have not been considered as an alternative to changing the schedule.
It is regrettable that frustrated passengers who are otherwise civil and friendly people dump their unhappiness on the terminal and ship staff, leaving them feeling abused. A culture of the customer being encouraged to demand satisfaction from service providers has led to this behaviour.
Since the satisfaction is not forthcoming, the complaints are likely to continue, and your employees are likely to continue to feel that their employer doesn't care.
Karin Singbeil
Gibsons
