20 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

A new ride-sharing platform designed specifically for BC Ferries routes is launching ahead of the busy Easter weekend, offering travellers what its founder calls a more affordable and reliable alternative. 

 

FerryShare, developed by a Victoria-based company, connects passengers with drivers who already hold ferry reservations, allowing for shared trips between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. 

 

CEO Ben Callin said he created the app in response to the high cost and long wait times often associated with ferry travel between Victoria and Vancouver.

 

 

 

 

Read more at: https://vicnews.com/...avel-headaches/

 

 

 

 

During peak travel periods such as long weekends, travellers without reservations can face waits of up to six hours at the Swartz Bay terminal, while reserved vehicle fares can exceed $130, said Callin. Public transit options are cheaper but typically involve multiple transfers and long travel times. 

 

FerryShare aims to offer a middle ground. Passengers can book a ride with a driver already planning to travel on a reserved sailing, with trips from Victoria to Bridgeport Station priced at about $68, according to the company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poparide has been doing something similar for over a decade.

 

https://www.poparide.com/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 March 2026 - 12:20 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

from Victoria to Bridgeport Station priced at about $68

 

 

Sounds about right.

 

 

https://ferryshare.com/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 March 2026 - 12:29 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Mike K.]

Sounds complicated, maybe?

[Victoria Watcher]

Sounds complicated, maybe?

 

It is if you are going to be flaky and miss your trip, cancel at the last minute, be late etc.

 

Maybe those type of riders will get filtered out.

 

It's not clear how the pick-up works.   Where do you meet the driver?

 

Does the driver have to drop you at Bridgeport?   What if you are both going downtown?  Is there an equivalent location to Bridgeport, here on this side?

[Victoria Watcher]

I mean, when you are dedicated to going over as a passenger, or foot-passenger, there are rarely sell-outs or waits. 

 

 

 

 

Most people find their way to the ferry fine, it's the other side that sucks.

 

31% get dropped off.

23% drive and park.

 

So that's 54%.

 

23% arrive by bus.

10% by other means.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 March 2026 - 02:53 AM.

[Mike K.]

People are flaky, and do really weird things. What happens if the person has luggage that won’t fit in the vehicle? Does the driver leave? You’ve got a small window of opportunity to show up at the terminal before your reservation is forfeited. What if the passenger is late, or delays you?

What I can see happening is the pick up location causes a driver to miss the reservation window. If you’re driving out from James Bay, and you have to pick someone up in Esquimalt, you’ve added 20 minutes to your trip if all goes really well. Is the $9 or whatever you get paid worth it? It’ll cost someone from James Bay $11 in fuel to drive straight to Swartz Bay, if they have an efficient car that will average 8L/100kms. Deviating will add a couple of litres to the trip, easily. So that’s an extra $4. If you drive an SUV, double those fuel costs.

[Victoria Watcher]

Direct buses at each side with some luggage room would be a better.

[Victoria Watcher]

People are flaky, and do really weird things. What happens if the person has luggage that won’t fit in the vehicle? Does the driver leave? You’ve got a small window of opportunity to show up at the terminal before your reservation is forfeited. What if the passenger is late, or delays you?

What I can see happening is the pick up location causes a driver to miss the reservation window. If you’re driving out from James Bay, and you have to pick someone up in Esquimalt, you’ve added 20 minutes to your trip of all goes really well. Is the $9 or whatever you get paid worth it? It’ll cost someone from James Bay $11 in fuel to drive straight to Swartz Bay, if they have an efficient car that will average 8L/100kms. Deviating will add a couple of litres to the trip, easily. So that’s an extra $4. If you drive an SUV, double those fuel costs.

 

No, no, you don't just make $9.

 

I think you make ~$29 per passenger.  

 

If there is enough demand presumably you pick up in your own neighbourhood or along a direct route.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 March 2026 - 03:11 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

I also think there is no clear comparison to "Bridgeport" on this side.   Uptown isn't it.  Even though planners think it is or should be.

[Mike K.]

I see, so that covers your reservation fee.

It’s still sounding like it might be a hassle? I might not be understanding how it all works, in the real world.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

Here is my system.  Want some passengers?   Pull in here and negotiate with the front of the line.  

 

Need a ride?  Get dropped off here and negotiate with arriving car drivers.  

 

The lots themselves, no overnight parking.  Or maximum 2 hours.  Really just for drop and wait.

 

Isn't that how the hitchhiking works on the Gulf Islands?

 

 

(except my system isn't free)

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 March 2026 - 03:26 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Hi there,

We want to start by saying a huge thank you for signing up for FerryShare. Over 80 of you have joined before we've even launched — that means the world to us and tells us this community really needs this.

Quick update on a few things:

Posting a ride is now fixed

Some of you ran into an issue when trying to post a ride on the web app. We're sorry for the inconvenience — it was a verification gate that was incorrectly blocking web users. That's been fixed and you should now be able to post a ride without any issues at ferryshare.com/app.

Mobile apps are on their way

The iOS app has been submitted to the App Store for review and the Android app is close behind. Both should be available for download next week at the latest. We'll send you an email the moment they go live.

We need your help

If you run into anything that doesn't work as expected, please don't hesitate to reach out at support@ferryshare.com — we read every message and your feedback is directly shaping the app.

Easter weekend is one of the busiest BC Ferries weekends of the year. If you're crossing and have empty seats — now is the perfect time to post your first ride. It's free, takes under 2 minutes, and you could help a fellow traveller get where they need to go.

Thank you again for being part of FerryShare from day one. We're building this for you.

Ben

FerryShare

support@ferryshare.com

ferryshare.com

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

Where do you meet the driver?

The driver posts their own pickup address when creating a ride — typically their home or a point along their planned route. You see the exact address before booking and can chat with your driver 24 hours before departure to coordinate final details.

What about no-shows?

Both drivers and passengers go through the same three-stage check-in system. GPS check-in opens about 2 hours before departure. Both sides receive a reminder at 90 minutes and a final notice at 60 minutes before departure. If either side has not checked in by the 60-minute mark — the other party is notified immediately and can cancel penalty-free with no obligation to wait. An automatic strike is issued to the no-show account. A second confirmation reminder goes out 30 minutes before pickup. Three strikes on either side results in automatic account suspension. Both drivers and passengers are held to exactly the same standard.

What about luggage?

Drivers and passengers both specify luggage when posting or booking. A driver with a compact car simply doesn't accept passengers with checked bags. Both sides see this before confirming.

Driver reliability and strikes

Drivers who cancel within 24 hours of departure or no-show receive a strike. Three strikes results in automatic account suspension. This creates a strong incentive for reliability on both sides.

No system is perfect.

There will always be the occasional bad actor — someone who books and disappears, a driver who cancels last minute, or a passenger who shows up late. We know that. But the strike system, GPS check-in deadlines, automatic suspensions, and driver approval requirements are all designed to make sure those people don't last long on the platform. One bad experience and they're flagged. Three and they're gone. The community self-regulates quickly.

On legal compliance

FerryShare operates under BC's Passenger Transportation Regulation carpool exemption — the same legal framework Poparide has used since 2014. Drivers are private individuals sharing the actual cost of a trip they were already making — not providing transportation for hire. We are in active dialogue with the BC Ministry of Transportation to ensure full compliance. We have implemented a one-ride-per-day limit per driver, fixed pickup and dropoff points, a maximum of 3 passengers per ride, and private passenger vehicles only. No commercial vehicles are permitted.

Your safety matters to us

Every FerryShare user can verify their identity through Stripe Identity — the same verification technology used by banks and major platforms worldwide. Verified users receive a trusted ✅ badge on their profile, so you know exactly who you're riding with before you confirm a booking. ID verification is coming very soon to our iOS and Android apps. In the meantime, star ratings, profile photos, and our driver approval system are all live today on the web app.

We also offer a women-only ride option — female drivers can choose to offer their ride to women passengers only, and female passengers can filter to see women-only rides. Your comfort and safety on every crossing is our priority.

We're a small Victoria-based team trying to solve a real problem that every BC commuter knows too well — getting on and off the ferry without it costing a fortune or ruining your day. We don't have all the answers yet but we're working hard to find them.

If you're crossing this Easter weekend and have empty seats — now is the perfect time to post your first ride. It's free, takes under 2 minutes, and you could help a fellow traveller get where they need to go.

[Mike K.]

Hey, 80 joins, that's alright!

[FerryShare]

Hey VibrantVictoria!

Ben from FerryShare here — and honestly, what a thread to wake up to.

This is exactly the kind of community we built FerryShare for. Real questions, real concerns, real people who actually use the ferry and know the pain. You didn't hold back and we love you for it.

We read every single comment. We took notes. And this morning a driver reached out with a question about BC Ferries reservations and extra passengers — a question that came straight from the kind of conversation happening right here. We updated the app and our FAQ with the answer within the hour. That's how we work.

No system is perfect and we know that. But we're building this the right way — 121 users in and someone already posted the first real ride this week. One crossing at a time.

Easter weekend is here. If you're crossing and have empty seats — you know what to do.

ferryshare.com

Ben

[Blair M.]

Sounds like a great way to meet your local Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, or John Wayne Gacy - and then quite willingly climb into their passenger seat.

 

I'll pass.

[Victoria Watcher]

Sounds like a great way to meet your local Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, or John Wayne Gacy - and then quite willingly climb into their passenger seat.

 

I'll pass.

 

Oh please.

 

You watch too much TV.

 

Chances are your uncle sexually assaults you, not your Uber or FerryShare guy.  By about a 50/1 margin.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 April 2026 - 07:17 PM.

[LJ]

Sounds like a great way to meet your local Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, or John Wayne Gacy - and then quite willingly climb into their passenger seat.

 

I'll pass.

Nah, I'll be ok. What are the odds of two serial killers being in the same car?