Can anyone explain this..??

[Retrovision]

Thank you for that, hornbyguy; that gives a good overview in layman's terms of how the model BCFC was changed to work under in 2003 operates. It also points out that this is one model, one way of approching the dilema they're faced, that the government is arguing to the electorate that is the best way to go about things. This argument is, in the end, still based on the concept of earnings at the expense of the same electorate who are the number one users of the ferry system and who rely on it as they do any other such essential service (highways, etc.). The other side to this argument is that we need to treat the ferry system the same as we do the roads and owe ourselves, the citizens of BC, a subsidized service no differently than any road in our province without a toll, almost all; if not, it can not be argued that all British Columbians are treated equally.

[Hardy]

pcldriver said:

Well, I for one am very relieved! I looked under Bus and Coach Services, and fortunately, PCL is not offering bus service there! I would hate to get transferred there!!!

I am sure that you are relieved! Then again, maybe PCL would have some task-specific equipment for you to drive over there. Rather than the regular local 70's era busses, they might have some ex-US Military armoured personnel carriers or troop transports. You could have been driving an M-113 APC or a nice Bradley or something!!

And think about the advancement possibilities - especially through attrition! ;D

Perhaps you could google 'KosovaBusLines', the alleged sister company to KosovaSeaLines ....

[Hardy]

admin said:

Would have been funny if the Vancouver Sun article actually had all its facts right too:) The island isn't Mayne Island, it's Galiano Island! Just past Bluffs Park.

We've had this discussion about media inaccuracies, both TV and in print. Thank goodness that the Vancouver Sun has kept this streak alive with their reporting. At least we have somethings to keep constant!!

[Low Light Mike]

Thanks for that profit item, HornbyGuy.

I've usually messed that up in the past...but the recent articles in Island-Tides have clarified it for me. This post from you reinforces my understanding of the issue.

Another way of looking at the impact of the Coastal Ferry Act on "Profit Motive", is the following:

- In the prior regime, BC Ferries operated so that the profitable mainline routes would "subsidize" the unprofitable minor routes. This was because BCFC was one big overall entity, which had no pressure to show an Overall-profit.

- In the new regime, an overall-profit is now very important, because it's what bond-rating agencies look at, to help classify BCFS's bond-rating, which impacts on their ability to generate its own debt financing (such as that Bond issue, back in Feb.07). Debt financing is very important, because the Provincial Treasury is no longer able to debt-fund BC Ferries....so BCFS has to raise it's own capital, through private finance markets.

Since overall profit is now very important, the profit that's always been generated by the mainline routes can no long be applied against the money-losing minor routes. Therefore, the minor-routes need to become more profitable on their own.....at least to the point of break-even. So revenues for the minor routes needed to increase. That necessity, coupled with the BC Gov'ts failure to increase it's subsidy to the minor routes, puts all the revenue-increase pressure on Joe Public, by the raising of fares, by astronomical percentages.

[Retrovision]

tsawwassenterminal said:

This argument is, in the end, still based on the concept of earnings at the expense of the same [portion of the] electorate [of BC] who are the number one users of the ferry system and who rely on it as they do any other such essential service (highways, etc.). ...if not, it can not be argued that all British Columbians are treated equally.

In this I mean that the aim of BCFS is to eventually make a healthy profit, this strategy being at the expense of Vancouer Islanders, especially until profitability is accomplished. I should mention, though, that in my younger years I leaned towards agreeing that Islanders off our coast, be it Vancouver, Gulf or Charlottes, should have to pay a premium for living there, but for many reasons have done a 180 on that position.

[Hardy]

kam said:

Ferry said:

We all know typing “Ferry” into Google returns BC Ferries website in the number one location. So it’s not difficult for anyone in the world to find the site, particularly if they know they want to do a project involving ferries.

Keep in mind that google customers search results based on the location of the IP address. That is to say a google search in the US will turn up different results targeted to Americans. Same goes if you did a search from the UK.

Currently in Calgary, AB on work (ie a move). Punched up "FERRY" on google. First 2 hits are BCFerries. Next one is Marine-Atlantic (www.marine-atlantic.ca)

WSF is way down there, around 16th.

[Retrovision]

hardy said:

kam said:

Keep in mind that google customers search results based on the location of the IP address. That is to say a google search in the US will turn up different results targeted to Americans. Same goes if you did a search from the UK.

Currently in Calgary, AB on work (ie a move). Punched up "FERRY" on google. First 2 hits are BCFerries. Next one is Marine-Atlantic (www.marine-atlantic.ca)

WSF is way down there, around 16th.

A similar interesting test is to search Google Images from different locations.

[x]

hardy said:

pcldriver said:

Well, I for one am very relieved! I looked under Bus and Coach Services, and fortunately, PCL is not offering bus service there! I would hate to get transferred there!!!

I am sure that you are relieved! Then again, maybe PCL would have some task-specific equipment for you to drive over there. Rather than the regular local 70's era busses, they might have some ex-US Military armoured personnel carriers or troop transports. You could have been driving an M-113 APC or a nice Bradley or something!!

And think about the advancement possibilities - especially through attrition! ;D

Perhaps you could google 'KosovaBusLines', the alleged sister company to KosovaSeaLines ....

Whew!! What a relief again...it seems that Kosovo Bus Lines is also out of business...

i181.photobucket.com/albums/x277/pcldriver/Bussearch.jpg

Pity though...would have been nice to ship the last of our 1974 coaches over there!!!!!

Picture replaced with link due to picture exceeding size limits

[Low Light Mike]

To "X" guest:

In exchange for your taking up moderator-time to replace your oversize image with a link, you can tell us a bit about yourself.

After all, "X" is a name that just begs for someone to ask "Who?".

So, seeing as we've done some work for you, entertain us with some of your stories or background. We'd love to read more.....

seriously.....

[ferrytraveller]

well i didn't want to create a new post but for anyone interested the attention sound played on bc ferries vessels before an announcement is also played at Toronto's Pearson international airport