Editor:
Re: “BC Ferries plugs a PR hole”
I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify some assumptions made in your April 1 editorial around a BC Ferries decision to add Sunday sailings on the Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route, and issues regarding historical on-time performance.
First, BC Ferries is keenly aware that any delayed departure will affect customers’ lives, and we are constantly working at identifying ways to improve. As noted in your paper, BC Ferries was asked by the local Ferry Advisory Committee to consider all factors involved in the addition of Sunday sailings. These factors included the expected costs of adding sailings compared to the potential benefits gained in efficiencies and improved customer service, taking into consideration the strong rebound in traffic we are currently experiencing across the ferry system.
Thus, after careful analysis, we determined that any increased costs associated with adding these sailings would be offset by reduced costs associated with decreased congestion, overloads and delays. It should be noted that these sailings are above contracted service levels with the provincial government.
Further, this analysis was a deliberate process conducted over several months, and to suggest that it was a sudden reversal is simply discrediting the efforts put forth by community members, FAC representatives and BC Ferries staff.
As for on-time performance, BC Ferries has issued an annual report to the BC Ferries Commissioner since 2003 that is available for anyone to view on our website and includes a summary of sailing delays, cancellations and on-time performance for all our 24 routes.
On-time performance is monitored closely at all levels and keeping to the schedule is a goal we all strive for every day. However, for a variety of reasons (many beyond our control, such as medical emergencies, stalled vehicles, adverse weather) some of the more than 172,000 sailings we perform annually do get delayed.
With three very busy routes operating out of the constrained Horseshoe Bay terminal, there are unique challenges such as single ship loading/unloading and docking/undocking when operating at Horseshoe Bay as compared to other major terminals. What happens on the Langdale route will affect the operations on both the Nanaimo and Bowen Island runs, and vice versa. This is not an excuse for late sailings, but it must be acknowledged as a very real condition our crews deal with daily.
We will continue to work with the FAC and other stakeholders to improve service on Route 3 through the identification of process change in the short term, and engineering design changes over the long term.
Mark Collins, VP, Strategic Planning & Community Engagement, BC Ferries
