Amid a summer plagued by ferry cancellations, delays and long waits, a trucking company says a BC Ferries Freight trade policy is making matters worse.
The program, known as the” drop trailer service”, allows some commercial operators to drop their truck trailers at a BC Ferries terminal. BC Ferries workers then load the trailer onto a ship for transit, where it is taken to the other side.
But Penta Transport argues that the driverless trailer is taking up deck space, leaving its drivers and the general public waiting in congested terminals.
Penta Transport vice-president Kendra SLA 8son said driverless trailers should be transported by barges instead.
“When they started this drop trailer service they promised everyone that no living bodies would be left behind, this service was to fill the space that is not being used to keep rates lower,” she said.
“Now we’re told it’s all bookable space, so they can access their system, reserve that space for drop trailers, and therefore the general public and the rest of us are being left behind because we don’t have the same opportunities to manipulate the booking system.”
BC Ferries told Global Neombs that the heavy trailer Service moves essential goods like groceries.
He further insisted that the space designated for heavy trailers is separate from the reserved space designated for the traveling public.
“If there are live bodies left behind, those trailers should not be on ferries. We need to move the general public,” SLA 8son said.
The criticism came as ferry passengers faced more delays and confusion.
Before noon, the company was already writing on tantanitter about eight to nine sail waits for non-reservation vehicles traveling between Victoria and Vancouver.
However, how accurate these figures were drew some skepticism after the company’s website inaccurately displayed nine-sail delays on Tuesday, which turned out to be a mistake.
BC United Transportation opposition critic Trevor Halford said the provincial government should intervene and start treating ferry service as part of the highway system.
“We’re talking about websites that are up for a whole day with misinformation and causing people tremendous anxiety because they’re cancelling their trips, they’re going to other ferry terminals, which is adding hours to their journey, and then just 24 hours later we’re seeing the same thing happen,” Halford said.
“We are not seeing any leadership from the minister, from the prime minister, from the Chairman (Board of Bc Ferries) and the CEO. All of this is being left to frontline workers now.”
Global Neombs tried to contact BC Ferries board chairman Joy MacPhail on Thursday, but was cut off when a report identified itself as calling from the outlet.
Within an hour, the company’s communications team sent an email saying MacPhail was” unavailable ” to speak.
Meanwhile, it seems there may be more trouble for weekend travelers on a popular southern route.
The company says it is expecting an increase in passenger and vehicle travel on foot on all cruises to Salt Spring Island and is urging people to show up early, travel by car and be ready for delays.
At the same time, the seaside celebration, which has been out of service for a week with mechanical problems, is expected to return to service on Friday.
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