Editor:
I appreciate that upgrades at the Langdale and Horseshoe Bay terminals are necessary to maintain and improve traffic management and safety. However, I want to encourage BC Ferries and all stakeholders to challenge whether we need to build larger “parking lots” for vehicles waiting in line for their ferry.
Instead, my recommendation is that BC Ferries adopt a 100 per cent reservation system.
With a 100 per cent reservation system in place, the vehicle space at terminals could be reduced to the equivalent of slightly more than one ferry load of vehicles, thereby freeing up space for other uses (including, perhaps, for additional parking to encourage more people to walk on and use public transit).
One more recommendation – when making a reservation, a customer would need to pay a $20 fee that would be applied to the cost of sailing. In other words, making a reservation would be free, as long as you show up for your sailing. If you don’t show up, you pay a penalty.
All major transportation systems (airlines, trains, inter-city buses and even taxis) use this approach to give customers certainty that they will be able to travel at their preferred time.
I acknowledge that some customers will find booking in advance a bit challenging – but effective use of technology (a simple app on your phone and an automated phone call-in system) will make it easy. And, yes, there are likely complications for some (medical emergencies, etc.) that I’m sure the BC Ferries team will be able to develop a plan to accommodate.
I think most people would welcome the certainty of being able to board at their selected sailing time. There would be many other benefits, including improved safety (no need to rush to get ahead of other cars en route to the ferry terminal) and comfort (no sitting in a hot car waiting for the next ferry).
John Henderson, Sechelt
