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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 9, 2007 15:42:36 GMT -8
Similar to the "service notice" thread, this is for other items posted on the BCFS website, such as minor news releases and business-opportunity items: ===================== www.bcferries.com/business_opportunities/index.php?action=show&comp_id=143Project 90544 Northern Ferry Terminals Request for Proposal British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. requests proposals for the design and reconstruction of the following facilities at its Northern Ferry Terminals: ∙ Berth 2 at Skidegate terminal located on Queen Charlotte Island, BC. ∙ The main berth at Prince Rupert terminal located at Prince Rupert, BC. ∙ The main berth at Bear Cove terminal located at Port Hardy, BC. The scope of work generally includes the demolition and salvage of existing structures and the design and construction of new structures to support the operational requirements of the Northern Ferry Terminals and the routes served by these terminals, including new structures at each terminal, which is more specifically described in the RFP document. The RFP document will be available to General Contractors and Designers (Designers only registered with APEGBC) upon payment of $100 CDN (cheque or cash - non-refundable) payable to British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. Only those Contractors and Designers who obtain documents as described above and return the 'Receipt Confirmation Form' in Section 00130 within the RFP document, will be considered registered plan holders and thus eligible to submit a proposal. The RFP document may be obtained on June 18/07 from: British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. 1112 Fort Street Victoria, BC V8V 4V2 Phone: (250) 978-1312 Fax: (250) 361-4922 Attn: Shelley Cavanaugh, Contract Administrator Details of Bidder's Site Meetings are included in the RFP document. Proposals are to be submitted by August 21/07 at 2pm. Key Dates Published: June 10, 2007 Closing Date: August 21, 2007 Closing Time: 2:00 pm ===================== ===================== Help me out with this, you experts: is this the work for the "permanent" new-style berth facilities? If I remember correctly, the NorAd's current stern-apron is temporary somehow.
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 19, 2007 19:47:53 GMT -8
I would guess that you are right. They may want to do a major and expensive upgrade at Pr Rupert to better facilitate the need for large vehicles being loaded onto the NorAd without having to back 100 metres down a curved jetty.
They have not mentioned any Central coast (esp. McLauglin Bay) berth upgrades. That is a conspicuous absence.
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Post by Retrovision on Jul 19, 2007 19:59:53 GMT -8
I would guess that you are right. They may want to do a major and expensive upgrade at Pr Rupert to better facilitate the need for large vehicles being loaded onto the NorAd without having to back 100 metres down a curved jetty. Well put. I've only been there once on the winter schedule and even I experienced delays then, which have numerous repercussions as echoed by the crew at the time, including on passengers quality of experience on that schedule.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 19, 2007 20:04:38 GMT -8
If AMHS ferries pull-out from using Prince Rupert, then maybe BC Ferries could take over the Alaska terminal. Does it have a straighter, shorter jetty ?
(I posted about this news story in the North-West page, under "MV Columbia", yesterday....if you're interested in this news story).
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 19, 2007 20:09:32 GMT -8
Yes it does. Much better. BCF's used that dock before they built their own in about 1980.
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Post by Hardy on Jul 19, 2007 21:56:59 GMT -8
Yes it does. Much better. BCF's used that dock before they built their own in about 1980. Hmmmm..... curious! I am sure that this, amongst other things which would occur if AMHS pulled out, would benefit BCFS. Of course, PR would suffer with the loss of AMHS, unless another provider started offering service to Alaska out of there.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 8, 2007 10:34:43 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 1, 2008 12:03:45 GMT -8
New reservation system: www.bcferries.com/business_opportunities/index.php?action=show&comp_id=159=============================== Passenger/Vehicle Reservation System RFI 12-06-2007 BC Ferries invites responses from qualified suppliers of existing products to provide a new reservations system. BC Ferries processed over 1.3 million reservations in the 2006/07 calendar year generating over $27 million in reservation fees and tariff revenue. Currently BC Ferries’ customers can book reservations over the phone or in person with a Customer Service Representative, over the phone with IVR, or in a self serve environment on the internet at www.bcferries.com The current reservation system is more than 12 years old and the technology is obsolete. In addition to this, the current system is difficult to enhance limiting the ability for BC Ferries to respond to changing business needs. A new, web based system is required to provide continuity, support customers, drive marketing and pricing initiatives and respond to the changing business requirements. The objectives of the new system would be to improve customer service and operational efficiencies, as well as provide the ability to establish integrated partner programs and generate unregulated revenues. =============== Is someone here going to do a proposal for this, using a Proboards forum as the infrastructure for BCFS' new reservation system??? ;D
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Jan 1, 2008 18:38:05 GMT -8
Also with the announcement, a reservation fee increase to 20 dollars standard and 25 dollars last minute Just kidding. They might as well upgrade since the technologies of MySQL databases and Web 2.0 (web based applications) have now taken the forefront. I wonder if they will integrate any flash interface to the new system? BTW, isn't it web based already?
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Post by Queen of Nanaimo Teen on Jan 1, 2008 21:42:11 GMT -8
What is wrong with their current reservation system? I think it is perfectly good!
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Post by Hardy on Jan 1, 2008 22:27:03 GMT -8
What is wrong with their current reservation system? I think it is perfectly good! The web-part of the reservation system is perfectly fine (although there is some room for improvement). What they want to improve is the way other forms of reservations are processed. The way that I understand it, when you PHONE into the res system and TALK to an OPERATOR, they basically have to log on to the web-site (albeit an internal version) and manually input all the information. The so-called IVR system just gets you to an operator with most of the information pre-entered so that it can be manually INPUT into that same system. There is no completely independent IVR system to book a reservation with. There is also the OLD (read FIRST) reservation system, which was for commercial vehicles, which involved FAXING the information ahead and then getting a return fax confirming it. I would think that the plan for the new reservation system/platform would be: - update and improve the current web-interface - fully automated IVR system where you could complete an entire reservation without operator intervention - operator assisted phone system, with information "preloaded" if partially IVR - SMS/mobile reservation system interface I would imagine that it would be nice not to have things all kludged together as they currently are. I would like to hear some more on this, and see what docs BCFS puts out in terms of specs for this ...
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 1, 2008 22:41:37 GMT -8
The system that they have for northern routes reservations is archaic, and most certainly could benefit with an upgrade to a system more like that used for the pond crossing routes.
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Post by Hardy on Jan 2, 2008 17:27:54 GMT -8
I believe that this is the goal - go to one platform throughout the system, and make it scalable and inter-operative. Makes sense to me for them to do it wholesale like this, and get it right under one major overhaul, rather than kludging it along one hap-hazard step at a time.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2008 9:09:32 GMT -8
...and speaking of "reservations", here's a small news story re reservations: ============================= canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5izMEUx6rsbygHaS_If19SJ-6kFgwB.C. Ferries allowing people to change their reservations, but for a $9 feeVICTORIA - BC Ferries has changed its reservation policy to allow customers to change their booking up to one hour before sailing time - for a fee. BC Ferries President David Hahn says until now, customers lost their entire booking fee of between $15 and $17 if they didn't make it to their boat on time. Under the new scheme, people can change their reservation by phone or on line for a $9 fee. Hahn says people on tight schedules often related to family events were being dinged under the old system, and the company wants to give these folks some flexibility. BC Ferries takes reservations on the three main runs linking the mainland, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. =========================== Flugel comment: The last sentence above is incorrect. There are 4 main routes that take "paid" reservations: 1,2,3,30. And there are also the "free" reservations on Route-9.
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Post by Mike C on Jan 12, 2008 14:23:19 GMT -8
Correct me if I'm mistaken: Canceling your reservation for Route 9 costs $25. Will the same $9 alteration fee apply to Route 9 as well?
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Post by Curtis on Jan 14, 2008 17:02:58 GMT -8
Not Sure If anyone noticed this yet, but it looks like BCFS has a new Slogan and Website Banners. Kind Of Pixel-ish. Not to Mention the CR too far to the right, The Spirits banner Looked Better. "Experience the Difference" At Least it wasn't something to do with BCFS' overused "Awesome"
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 14, 2008 17:19:39 GMT -8
It looks almost as if they are looking at this site for some coastal inspiration re their website.
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Jan 14, 2008 19:21:16 GMT -8
It's much better than "awesome only better" and "life on the coast" just cause you truly experience (for those of us WSF riders)
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 14, 2008 19:41:38 GMT -8
I like photographs where the subject is on the edge of the shot. I know that we've expressed our different preferences on this matter before, Mr. ShipRider. That's ok.
I think that they could do some promotions in the Coastal-Cafe re the top picture, re "the rest of the alphabet". I'm thinking Alpha-Bits cereal for breakfast, and Alphagetti pasta for lunch.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 14, 2008 19:45:06 GMT -8
It looks almost as if they are looking at this site for some coastal inspiration re their website. Yes, an interesting comparison of our ferry-forum banners, the BCFS website banners. I wonder if the BCFS website banner photographs are Mr. Stapleton's work?
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Post by Scott on Jan 19, 2008 10:24:24 GMT -8
I agree with Ship-Rider. While the CR photo is really nice, why'd they have to cut off the very corner of the ship at the edge of the banner? Maybe they're trying to say, "it's almost here, but not yet?" Who knows, but it would have looked better if she was over to the left a pixel or two more. There's nothing in the background to "fit in" or anything, so why did they do it?
The other photo is artistic and interesting, but I don't get what it's "showing off". It's fairly uncolorful. Maybe it's saying, "The scenery off the ferry [on the far left] is high contrast black and white but through a beautiful BC Ferries windbreaker window, you'll see Beautiful British Columbia in all it's blue and grey glory."
I had to do an add interpretation for one of my college-level English classes once.. so forgive me:)
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,171
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Post by Neil on Jan 19, 2008 12:37:15 GMT -8
...and what's up with "Experience the difference"?
Difference from what? Black Ball? CP? Harbourlynx?
Or maybe it's, "Experience the difference from our old, gungy ferries, which you won't ever want to ride again once you get a load of our spiffy new German model"?
Or perhaps it's the difference from, say, Alberta, which is too dry to have ferries?
Beats me. Gotta love the ambiguous banality of advertising.
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Post by DENelson83 on Jan 19, 2008 14:46:52 GMT -8
Unfortunately, I can't see any of those banners at the top of the BCF website. My browser will not, under any circumstance, display any image with "banner" in its filename.
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Jan 21, 2008 0:31:48 GMT -8
From the vancouver open house press release "The 160-metre Coastal Renaissance will carry 1650 passengers and crew and 370 vehicles and 1650 passengers and crew at a speed of 21 knots." So does that mean she can carry 3300 passengers?
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Mirrlees
Voyager
Bathtub!
Deck Engineer- Queen of Richmond
Posts: 1,013
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Post by Mirrlees on Jan 21, 2008 3:12:12 GMT -8
Me thinks that their pens got a little ahead of them... ;D
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