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Post by Dane on Jan 15, 2006 18:14:05 GMT -8
Dane, They are required under there contract with the Province to provide a number of round trips per Q - anything less and they lose money - so the running even very late at night - counts as a trip - plus the re-position of the vessel for the start of business the next day. Im vary familiar with how BCFS is mandated to operate their service, and hold my comment that with next to no service on many routes they still can make the min. Also, if they do not there is ussually no consequence. Summer 04 Route 30 didn't make it because of weather, mechanical issues, and maritime emergiencies. All that was considered is the fact the other similar services (so routes 1 and 2) were so high above their minimums (I think Route 1 was 100% over, I'll have to find the paperwork one of these days) that it was no issue. |
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Post by cascade on Jan 16, 2006 8:14:43 GMT -8
Dane,
You are correct - but the Ferry Commissioner is now looking at the "lost sailing" and the argument from BCFS is "vessel positioning" - part of that I can fully understand, but looking at some of the subsidies been paid across - we are now talking about a lot of money.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager 
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jan 16, 2006 10:29:03 GMT -8
Wanna talk about empty sailings, The Queen of Cowichan's 8:30am sailing from Horseshoe Bay on Sunday was empty as I was catching the 10:30am out of Departure Bay to go over for the tour on Sunday and the upper vehicle deck was empty as no cars came off and I swear only a few trucks came off the bottom and like maybe at least 20 cars from what I could see. As she arrived at 10:10 or so and then still departed on time. I could only imagine what the 6:30am sailings were like.
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Post by cascade on Jan 16, 2006 11:08:15 GMT -8
It is very interesting looking at the figures that BCFS send to the Ferry Commissioner - about sailings. There appears to be an increase in the number of breakdowns - lost sailing - which is expected I guess with the age of the fleet.
One route - they had "over paid" by $250,000 - as they didn't complete the required number of trips...like I mention we are talking big money...your tax payers subsides for no service ? In the past it appears no one has dare raise an hand against these payments - but now we have someone - Ferry Commissioner - non-political - lets see if he has any teeth.
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