6319 replies to this topic

[Bingo]

Seeing people leave the terminal entry and walking towards it, and then people coming out of the elevator to get to the foot passenger boarding area.     

It is not any sort of definitive survey, just saying I have not seen it happen

 

Me neither but it is now on my bucket list to look into.

[vortoozo]

I've done it as well. 

[Bernard]

I am interested to read how many people have done it, clearly my anecdotal evidence is not accurate.....

 

Has anyone done something similar at Swartz Bay?

[Mystic-Pizza]

I am interested to read how many people have done it, clearly my anecdotal evidence is not accurate.....

 

Has anyone done something similar at Swartz Bay?

There really isn't anything worth walking over to at Swartz Bay............Hence why they want to build a market so that people will go over to it. I find the Market on the Vancouver side to be a welcoming place, especially in the winter months when you may want to be inside where it is nice and warm.

[Bingo]

I am interested to read how many people have done it, clearly my anecdotal evidence is not accurate.....

 

Has anyone done something similar at Swartz Bay?

 

No but you can get a bite to eat at the Fulford terminal.

[Bernard]

Personally, I wish the Stonehouse was closer to the terminal....

[Nparker]

I am sharing this story not because I am particularly outraged at the payout, but simply because I find this person's name brings a smile to my face.

Former BC Ferries CFO paid almost $500,000 settlement. Dennis Dodo was the company’s chief financial officer for less than three years...

https://www.vicnews....000-settlement/

Does this mean we have to re-evaluate what it means to "go the way of the Dodo?" 

[Bingo]

Personally, I wish the Stonehouse was closer to the terminal....

Nickel Bros could arrange that.

[Bingo]

Expect some delays at the terminals today.

https://www.bcferrie...s.html?dept=TSA

https://www.bcferrie...B&est=89,78,100

[Mike K.]

The terminals were closed yesterday evening. All sailings 100% booked up.

[lanforod]

I've a reservation tonight thankfully. When are they switching to a free reservation system??

[Sparky]

^ Then you would never get one

[lanforod]

Just make it deposit based to prevent abuse. 25 bucks deposit for a reservation. Show up, your fare is less the deposit. don't show up, lose the deposit.

[tedward]

Someone was telling me they are considering going to 100% reservations. Anyone know if that is true?

[lanforod]

^ I read that somewhere as well. I'm sure they are looking at it; but not sure that change makes sense. Certainly we had a lot of discussion about it here a year ago or so.

[Nparker]

...Certainly we had a lot of discussion about it here a year ago or so.

And like any reasonable organization, I am sure BC Ferries makes its major policy decisions based on VV discussions. 

[lanforod]

Hah, naturally.

 

 

I was implying that the reason we had that conversation was due to them looking into 100% reservations (and free reservations). I'm too lazy to look back through the pages.

[Nparker]

And like any reasonable organization, I am sure BC Ferries makes its major policy decisions based on VV discussions. 

Hah, naturally.

Of course the entire CRD would function much better if the decision makers paid more attention to VV.

[57WestHills]

They do have approval from the BC Ferries Commission to go 100% reservation as early as mid-2019. Personally I don't think it'll be that early, but I also haven't heard anything about it lately...

[rjag]

I was invited to a roundtable when David Hahn was CEO.

 

This was when they just introduced the reservation system and he was trying to get rid of the Assured Loading Cards

 

The consensus around the table was it was wrong to penalise the person making the reservation and that the $10 or whatever amount should be part of the fare not extra. ie if car & driver cost $75 then the $10 would be collected in advance and the balance $65 collected at the booth. This is how the Sidney Anacortes ferry operates as well as lots of ferry systems in Eu.

 

The higher fee should be charged to the car that rolls up last minute. They really didnt like that (they were sitting behind 1 way glass observing the conversation) and one of them came in the room and explained that they didnt want to discourage tourists coming to the Island...our response was that it didnt deter tourists in Eu, they learned and adapted pretty quick as long as you make the effort to make it easy to reserve.

 

We also said it doesnt make sense to pay the reservation fee for a fixed sailing and be unable to change the time at a later point if you realise your meeting or flight has changed etc. If you miss your reservation time then you have lost your fee.

 

Right now its still cheaper to simply take your chances and drive up.

 

So as it is, the folks that pay to reserve is a fare increase without being a fare increase. Will that be the case if they go 100%

 

I have an Assured Loading Card, its not cheap but I never have to pay to reserve and can roll up to any booth up to 20 mins before the sailing and am put in the first row to board. So when I roll up all I have to ask is do I need to use the ALT or not....most times I dont so its regular fare but like last Thursday when I was on the 9am and returning on the 1pm I had to use it both ways. It costs nearly double the regular fare to use but I dont have to reserve and lock myself in to a particular sailing. I think at the end of each year I come close to break even

 

I Think it would be good to go 90% reservation but they have to change the way they collect the fee and they need to be able to allow a change 

Edited by rjag, 10 November 2018 - 08:16 AM.