Have the BC Liberals destroyed the BC Ferry system for working families?

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:30

NorthReport

What with giving such obscene high wages to the CEOs, jobbing out the food services to White Spot, and building new Ferries in Germany, BC Ferries are now in the position of charging so much that the average BC working family can no longer afford to use the Ferries. How sad.

Wed, 2013-10-16 11:33

#3

NorthReport

Now here's Mr Authority on everything pontificating on the ferry system. Please go back to sleep and stop feeding us pablum and bafflegab Mr Palmer.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Vaughn+Palmer+Fares+Ferries+newer+ships+high...

Wed, 2013-10-16 12:15

#4

kropotkin1951

NorthReport wrote:

What with giving such obscene high wages to the CEOs, jobbing out the food services to White Spot, and building new Ferries in Germany, BC Ferries are now in the position of charging so much that the average BC working family can no longer afford to use the Ferries. How sad.

It is only the crappy food they buy from White Spot. The crew that work in the cafeteria are all BCFMWU members and are trained in rescue and evacuation since that is their primary role and rationale for the staffing levels that the ferries use.

Wed, 2013-10-16 12:23

#5

Pogo

Yes but the food is so crappy. Remember when they had the best clam chowder around, or even the Sunshine Breakfast. But it is not white spot that is killing the ferries, it is all these expensive lounges and coffee bars. Value added ideas that just don't work and are closed more times than they are open. The ferries need to focus on their main purpose, shuttling people from destination to destination at a reasonable price and quit trying to be a 5 star hotel on water.

Wed, 2013-10-16 12:31

#6

kropotkin1951

The real costs have also come from the incredibly growing middle management. BC Ferries Inc. management ratio is very skewed and results in stupid decissions like lounges for rich tourists to be able to separate themselves from the unwashed masses.

The other unreported major happening was they made almost all Engineers management and that resulted in many of them bumping into other departments since they would not have union protection if and when they refuse to cut corners.

Wed, 2013-10-16 20:26

#7

Francesca Allan

I don't even know what car fare on BC Ferries is even more. Return bus service to/from downtown Vic to Van is almost $100, though. And I agree the value added stuff is ridiculous. Who's going to buy a dress from the gift shop on a ferry?

Wed, 2013-10-16 20:32

#8

NorthReport

The middle class will soon be leaving their cars behind when they go to visit the Gulf Islands. For what is saupposed to be an extewnsion of the highway system BC Ferries is rapidly being priced out of the market

Wed, 2013-10-16 20:46

#9

kropotkin1951

The ferries that the stupid million dollar man bought are the biggest car moving ferries anywhere. The fact that they have had a multitude of problems is another unreported story. They are diesel guzzling beomoths.

Many regular ferry users have begun not taking a vehicle because of the high cost. We moved back to the big island this fall. With taking our normal summer vacation on the island with grandkids and then going house hunting and paying for vehicles during the move I estimate we spent nearly $1500 on ferries since July. The good news is that we don't need to go to the lower mainland for a very, very long time.

Mon, 2013-10-21 21:44

#10

NorthReport

Maybe they should let those terrible "union bosses" run the BC ferry system as they couldn't possibly do a worse job that what is happening now.

99% of the people taking the ferries just want to get from A to B.

If tonite's news report/interview is accurate, Washington State moves people for, is is 10% ,or 50%, of the cost of the BC Ferry System. WTF!!!

Former asshole CEO Hahn has quite a legacy - a ferry sinks, how many crashes were there, and BC Ferries is basically bankrupct.

Mon, 2013-10-21 21:45

#11

Catchfire

Tsawwassen ferry terminal sale to Kinder Morgan recommended

The Tsawwassen ferry terminal should be sold to energy company Kinder Morgan to replace the company’s Burnaby tanker terminal, suggests the former chairman of the Gabriola Island ferry advisory committee.

Andre Lemieux proposed the idea as part of a vision that includes replacing the three ferry terminals in Nanaimo, saying it could reduce fares and cut Island crossing times in half.

A key element of Lemieux’s plan calls for approval of Kinder Morgan’s proposed twinning of its Alberta oil pipeline on the condition that it buy the Tsawwassen terminal, which removes tanker traffic from the Vancouver harbour.

Then a new ferry terminal would be built on Iona Island, adjacent to the Vancouver Airport.