Motivated by CRMirror: Ferry system strained by overpopulation
Recently BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez announced that current ferries transportation problems will take long time to fix. In the Campbell River Mirror of July 19, a Black Press Editorial blamed ‘overpopulation’ and passengers for current problems by taxing the capacity of ferries transportation infrastructure. I believe many tired and frustrated passengers will disagree with this ‘diagnostic.’
Ferry transportation is an essential service and an economic and social link between the cities and communities at the West Coast. It is BC Ferries corporation that is charged by B.C. government, top manager, with delivering effective and reliable service and running the ferries fleet and all connected services.
This ferries service is used by travellers who are clients of BC Ferries. Once travellers buy the tickets and reservations, their contract obligation is to follow the BC Ferries’ rules. They board the ferry, park their vehicles, use the facilities, disembark at the terminals. And that’s the end of it. One thing they DO NOT DO is running the operation of the ferry system. Therefore, the suggestion that the current ferries chaos is result of overpopulated and selfish travellers is grossly misleading and diversion from reality.
BC Ferries’ problems have been developing over the years. To fix them will take a long time. The essential failure is in monitoring and interpreting the ferries’ performance. Clearly there is a lack of planning and using prognostication of the B.C. societal, population and economic growth.
For years the population growth in B.C. is evident everywhere. If the government decision makers would pay attention to all data related to ferries service, they would realize that the demands for future ferry services are growing as well. They would formulate programs and plan budgets for inevitable costs of increasing the ferries fleet and stuff. And that should also include to get spare ferries to help in summer and on busy holidays. These ferries would also substitute for occasional broken down ferries.
Anton Gazdik
Campbell River