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Scapegoat for incompetence

Can someone tell the public why we need over 650 managers at B.C. Ferries?

A copy of this letter was sent to the Minister of Transportation.

Can someone tell the public why we need over 650 managers at B.C. Ferries?  That appears to be approximately 10 managers for every sailing route. This does seem to be rather excessive.  Washington State has only 52 managers for a ferry service slightly smaller than ours.

Also, can you explain to me why managers get paid bonuses for doing their jobs? Isn’t that what we pay their salaries for? I have no qualms in cutting back on schedules in the “non tourist” times, however, this is part of our highway system.  I realize that people who choose to live where they depend on a ferry to get them to work or whatever, still have some rights. We have travelled to Washington state on numerous occasions and used their ferry system at a cost of $17 for 2 seniors and our car for a crossing from downtown Seattle to Bremerton, nearly 1 1/2 hour trip.

Their ferries are not as luxurious as ours, but we should not be running a “cruise ship” system.   I am sure that most, if not all, passengers would be much happier paying a lot less with little frills.  I know we would.  Washington ferries have basically the same routes that we have, yet we are gouged for the pleasure of using the B.C. Ferries monopoly. Might I suggest that if the “corporation” were not so top heavy with management, perhaps more savings could be achieved.

As well, we seniors, who have worked hard and paid our taxes for years, should not become the scapegoats for incompetence.

Judy Campbell