6565 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Sounds like the engine trouble is trouble.

 

 

Luckily they will have another vessel up and ready later today.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Salish Heron has been put into service on route 1.

[vortoozo]

The Salish Heron has been used on a regular basis as an additional boat on route 1 while the major vessels are out for refit.

It's much smaller (fits about 500 people) and slower than the major boats.

Had the misfortune of being on it this weekend. A very militant chief steward was walking around informing people that they weren't allowed to reserve seats for others or leave jackets or bags on them. He made it clear that if you get up to go to the bathroom, you need to bring all of your stuff with you and allow others to sit down. The seats in my section never filled.

More unpleasant, however, was the duration of the crossing. We left Tsawwassen at 2:30pm. The 3pm sailing that followed arrived at Swartz Bay before us.

Definitely one to avoid on route 1. 

[Victoria Watcher]

The Salish Heron has been used on a regular basis as an additional boat on route 1 while the major vessels are out for refit.

It's much smaller (fits about 500 people) and slower than the major boats.

Had the misfortune of being on it this weekend. A very militant chief steward was walking around informing people that they weren't allowed to reserve seats for others or leave jackets or bags on them. He made it clear that if you get up to go to the bathroom, you need to bring all of your stuff with you and allow others to sit down. The seats in my section never filled.

More unpleasant, however, was the duration of the crossing. We left Tsawwassen at 2:30pm. The 3pm sailing that followed arrived at Swartz Bay before us.

Definitely one to avoid on route 1. 

 

 

 

Coastal:

 

 

Salish:

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 February 2025 - 12:58 AM.

[Matt R.]

They are funny little ships. Lots of problems over the years.

[Victoria Watcher]

Rising global costs and the looming threat of U.S. tariffs have prompted BC Ferries to propose an alternative fleet plan that would see it maintain 11 major vessels rather than expanding to 12 as originally intended.

 

In a supplemental application to the BC Ferries Commissioner, the company reaffirmed its proposal to build five new ships but now suggests extending the life of only one older vessel instead of two as an alternative amid economic uncertainty.

 

BC Ferries said in a statement posted to its website that the new scenario could help manage mounting financial risks without sacrificing the reliability of its service long term.

 

However, the company is still recommending that the commissioner approve its original plan that would see the fleet grow to 12 vessels in service.

 

“Any option that doesn’t enable us to build five New Major Vessels now means our customers will be paying more for worsening service levels in the future as expected demand continues to grow,” BC Ferries president and CEO Nicolas Jimenez said in a statement.

 

Jimenez went on to say that constructing five new vessels would be the “most prudent approach” to addressing the issues of affordability and long-term sustainability of ferry service.

 

Although BC Ferries began seeking bids for its new vessels in September 2024, before the U.S. tariff threat surfaced, the possibility of surcharges on steel and other construction materials has added financial pressure to the ship-building project.

 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...threat-1240154/

 

 

No BCF in recent memory has been built in North America.  Odd.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 February 2025 - 03:24 PM.

[Mike K.]

Press release:

We have submitted an application to the British Columbia Ferries Commissioner (The Commissioner) to approve the purchase of five New Major Vessels (NMV) to serve our busiest routes.

“Any option that doesn’t enable us to build five New Major Vessels now means our customers will be paying more for worsening service levels in the future as expected demand continues to grow. BC Ferries plays an essential role in BC's domestic supply chain, the growth of coastal economies, and the continued vibrancy of the provincial tourism industry. Based on our analysis, building five vessels now is the most prudent approach to supporting affordability, reliability, and the long-term sustainability of the ferry system.”
— Nicolas Jimenez, BC Ferries President and CEO

The need for five vessels is something our customers feel strongly about too. In a December 2024 survey of 2,000 customers, 95% of respondents agreed with the plan to add an additional vessel to the fleet. Our customers made it clear that moving forward with these investments is critical to improving their travel experience. Our vision for the future is clear - renew and grow our fleet to deliver what our customers expect and do that in a financially responsible way to keep fares as affordable as possible.

Building five vessels now is a critical investment
The New Major Vessels will serve our busiest routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. Each vessel will be capable of carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 360 vehicles, significantly improving service and capacity on our busiest sailings.
Our aging fleet is stretched, with consecutive years of record-setting passenger volumes. BC's population is projected to increase up to 44% by 2046, according to BC stats, with demand for ferry travel expected to continue rising, yet major route capacity hasn’t meaningfully increased in nearly 30 years.
Without these new vessels, we will exceed capacity on our Major Routes within the next decade, resulting in extensive delays in both the movement of goods and the opportunity for reasonable commutes for people living in these coastal communities.
Sailings on the major routes—which on average generate over 82% of all customer fare revenues—ran at an average 92% capacity during the peak season in 2024, with many sailings fully booked days in advance. In just two months alone last summer, almost a quarter of a million customers were impacted by waits, many related to mechanical breakdowns of aging vessels.
When ships are running at higher capacity, the potential for delays increases significantly. On-time performance has dropped to almost its lowest level in years because crews are taking additional time to squeeze extra vehicles on.
Communities and the public are already facing the burden of sailing waits and cancellations when an old vessel is removed from service for repairs. The BC Trucking Association recently estimated that a single sailing cancellation can cost the sector well over $100,000—costs that are ultimately passed on to consumers. BC Ferries is an essential public service, and therefore it’s critical that we have the capacity to support the people, local economies, and the tourism industries of the communities we serve.
With global shipbuilding costs already rising over 40% in just the past four years, delaying the procurement of these vessels would lead to significantly higher costs in the future, including for customers. The global procurement process, which we launched in September 2024 before the risk of current international economic uncertainties arose, has resulted in fixed-price bids, that we expect will provide greater cost certainty and reduce financial risk.
An aging fleet
The necessary retirement of aging vessels means maintaining the status quo is no longer an option.

[Victoria Watcher]

Drivers without a reservation are facing lengthy waits on the mainland as ferry overflows continue into Monday (Feb. 24).

 

After a busy weekend, the first ferry to Greater Victoria from Tsawwassen with deck space – 18 per cent – is at 3 p.m., as of 6:30 a.m. 

 

The same deck space remained on the next ferry with room sailing out of Swartz Bay in North Saanich – the 9 a.m. aboard the Coastal Inspiration.

 

As of 2 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 23) the ferry service was selling tickets to the 7 p.m. sailing from Tsawwassen with the 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. full and only 11 per cent deck space left on the 7.

 

By 5 p.m. deck space for the day was at capacity.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....ailings-7839638

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 February 2025 - 07:19 AM.

[North Shore]

^Caught the 9pm ferry yesterday from Tswa.. packed, and left the dock ~ 20 minutes late.  Got to Swartz at ~ 11:10.  Victoria Transit and BCFC need to communicate better, as both Swartz-Downtown buses had already left, leaving those relying on buses to wait for ~ 45 minutes until the next one arrived.

[Victoria Watcher]

^Caught the 9pm ferry yesterday from Tswa.. packed, and left the dock ~ 20 minutes late.  Got to Swartz at ~ 11:10.  Victoria Transit and BCFC need to communicate better, as both Swartz-Downtown buses had already left, leaving those relying on buses to wait for ~ 45 minutes until the next one arrived.

 

I think they just choose not to wait except for the last sailing of the day.

[lanforod]

If it extends a driver's shift to wait, who pays for the OT? It's not so simple as a comms issue, I think.

[Blair M.]

Just like medical care and family doctors, B.C. Ferries is yet another bit of government run infrastructure that's going (gone?) down the drain due to years of mismanagement.

It's fine when it operates as the schedule indicates it will - but it's now approaching a daily "upset" somewhere in the system that causes massive inconvenience to users. 

 

That "inconvenience" comes despite your $100.00 - $200.00 dollar investment in what's supposed to be a professionally run element of B.C.'s critical infrastructure.

Edited by Blair M., 24 February 2025 - 09:53 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

If it extends a driver's shift to wait, who pays for the OT? It's not so simple as a comms issue, I think.

It’s not simple. But surely something that can be worked out. It’s not rocket science.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 February 2025 - 09:55 AM.

[North Shore]

So, an hour of OT, tops, is about $120, compared to (Severely?) inconveniencing two (#70+#72) buses worth of people - not to mention leaving people standing out in the rain/cold for another 45 minutes.  Public transit is supposed to be a service, isn't it?

It didn't affect me, as 'the boss' picked us up, but I've travelled enough by bus across and back to Van to see that the public transit infrastructure needs a little massaging to make it seamless.  It's good to see that they've finally cracked the payments nut - that is, you can now use one method of payment across 3 transit systems - Translink, BCFC, and BCTransit; however, scheduling the buses at either end could do with a bit of work.

Edited by North Shore, 24 February 2025 - 10:00 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I've already proposed the solution that will make the buses stay there, be more direct and fast and convenient, and alleviate some parking issues at the terminal.  Raise the walk-on fare slightly for everyone, and use it to pay for more buses and drivers - and make the direct ferry route "free".

 

Adjust annually based on passenger level audits.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 February 2025 - 10:06 AM.

[Mike K.]

So, an hour of OT, tops, is about $120, compared to (Severely?) inconveniencing two (#70+#72) buses worth of people - not to mention leaving people standing out in the rain/cold for another 45 minutes. Public transit is supposed to be a service, isn't it?

It inconveniences others who rely on that route, too.

A 20 minute delay is massive. Others have to make connections as well.

[Victoria Watcher]

It inconveniences others who rely on that route, too.

A 20 minute delay is massive. Others have to make connections as well.

 

That's why that route should be DIRECT.    It should not be making other pick-ups on the way to town.  Nor drop-offs on the way to the ferry.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 February 2025 - 10:59 AM.

[Mike K.]

Perhaps easier said than done. We still have roving cancellations. There’s just not enough capacity in the system.

[vortoozo]

BC Transit does have a policy specific to late ferries. There are specified busses on the schedule with the following footnote. "H - 70 and 70X buses may hold for minor ferry delays, which may cause delays elsewhere on the route."
In this case, if the ferry arrived at 11:10pm the it was over half an hour late. I wouldn't consider that a minor delay, and it seems like BC Transit didn't either.

[Mike K.]

Oh yeah, that's 35 minutes late.

 

100% understandable why the buses took off.