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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 23, 2009 6:49:39 GMT -8
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 17, 2009 17:52:40 GMT -8
they had a short feature on global news today explaining about coastal link's new service. I forget when they said it would open, but it sounded like it would be soon
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Post by Retrovision on Nov 17, 2009 18:03:35 GMT -8
Regular service begins tomorrow morning, today was for politicians and photo-ops.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 15, 2009 9:36:05 GMT -8
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Dec 15, 2009 15:27:41 GMT -8
Both sides have valid arguments.
On one hand, the parks board is right to want to charge a for-profit operator to do business on city property. Shaker is only operating because the city built and maintains a dock for public use. When he began, he wasn't able to negotiate any deal with anyone- either in Vancouver or Gibsons- where he had to pay. There is probably no end to the number of businesses who might use the argument, "I'm providing a public service at no cost to the public", to avoid paying rent for public facilities.
On the other hand, the maintenance bill because of CLF's use of the Bute Street dock is probably zero. They tie up to the dock a few times a day for a few minutes. The dock has absolutely no facilities on it- not even railings. When CLF isn't there, it's empty. CLF is a shoestring operation that has somehow managed to keep going despite carrying a handful of passengers each day, and $500 a month probably represents a hefty bite of their revenues.
Hopefully this can be negotiated.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 3, 2010 7:46:17 GMT -8
Here's some crazy news about ridership numbers at CLF... from here: www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/story.html?id=a08006f6-f34f-43dd-94f9-b2dd115a6437==================== I guess that the strategy is to start a service as an unsupported private venture, then get the attention of governments, then obtain various subsidies and concessions, and then start to make money as a public-private partnership. The key is to somehow survive the first stage of the timeline.
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Post by fargowolf on Jan 3, 2010 19:08:29 GMT -8
The first six months are the "make or break" period as we all know. I'm taking a shot in the dark here, but I'm wondering if the November start up was to gauge "Off Season" traffic. In a weird way, it does make sense, as I'm certain that passenger traffic will pick up as the weather warms.
I also noticed that on their website, there is no mention of the route from North Van as of yet. The dock is listed, though no map is available as of yet.
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Jan 3, 2010 20:21:19 GMT -8
This operation has seemingly been running on fumes since it started fifteen months ago, and frankly, it's a bit surprising they're still in business. Last time I rode Coastal Link was last summer, when supposedly, business was better, and that afternoon they had sixteen or seventeen passengers on board, which I was told was a good load. How three dozen fares a day constitute a going concern I'm not sure, but the fact that Capt. Shaker and his crewman rode the slow bus back to downtown Vancouver after tying up the Coastal Runner perhaps spoke to the 'lucrative' living to be had from this venture.
Remembering my correspondence with Peter Green, I imagine Capt. Shaker thought he had his fortune made when the media gave him all that free publicity on the launch of their West Van service, and perhaps he was waiting for the crowds to materialize. Commuting habits are hard to break, and bus service from West Van isn't bad. As for Shaker's assertion that everyone who rides his boat comments on the "beautiful service", I wonder why that doesn't translate into return customers. When I rode the Coastal Runner last winter, I found it noisy, cold, and damp, and perhaps it still is. Now he's blaming the weather- why, I can't imagine- and the fact that no one will build him a free shelter to protect his waiting customers, even though he admits he doesn't really have any. It's his business, for gawdsakes. He hasn't put up so much as an awning on the Snug Cove wharf, and he's had free use of the Bute Street dock.
It takes time and money to grow a business such as Coastal Link is trying to do. Capt. Shaker should be admired for his persistence, and I would love to see him succeed, but he's chosen to serve a very small market, and even when he has a mind to expand, he tries to do it on a shoestring, and more and more one has to doubt that he has the resources to pull it off. And if he fails, no doubt someone else will be to blame, which is a story we're not altogether unfamiliar with.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 6, 2010 18:14:14 GMT -8
The CLF website has had this same message for the past few days: No further explanation, and no indication of when the "WV pm" service will start again. I haven't checked my tide-tables, so I don't know how long this problem will last. I guess that the 5 regular WV customers all have their tide-charts memorized. And does anyone know why a low tide would prevent them from docking at "WV"? Is that area too shallow for the MV Coastal Runner? I guess that the lack of a covered shelter isn't the only problem preventing customers from using the "WV" service. ----------- In other news, research has shown that clear and descriptive communication helps potential customers to find and try a new business.
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Jan 6, 2010 20:27:28 GMT -8
What a lot of nonsense. The tide at Point Atkinson tomorrow hits a low of five feet at 6pm. As Paul says, the Coastal Runner doesn't need a lot of water under her hull.
This company might be in danger of scraping the bottom, but it's not sea bottom that's the problem...
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Post by Nickfro on Jan 7, 2010 12:28:15 GMT -8
On Jan 1, the low tide was about 0ft at midnight. During the day it stayed over 10ft, even for the low tide. That leads me to believe that the website hadn't changed its notice since about 5-8 days before new years, when the super low tide would have been occurring around 5-6pm.
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Jan 7, 2010 19:41:37 GMT -8
On Jan 1, the low tide was about 0ft at midnight. During the day it stayed over 10ft, even for the low tide. That leads me to believe that the website hadn't changed its notice since about 5-8 days before new years, when the super low tide would have been occurring around 5-6pm. They weren't operating between Christmas and New Year's, and I don't recall seeing a tide notice in the days just before Christmas, when they mentioned their holiday shutdown. The notice is still up today, and again, the tide is no lower than five feet. Very odd.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 9, 2010 9:56:39 GMT -8
CLF has finally updated their website, as of Jan.9th. Here's the new page, with no more mention of the tide (money?) problems causing them to suspend their "WV" (Ambleside?) evening runs. For a chuckle, see the part of the page that I highlighted in blue. Yup, you can trust their website for frequent updates.....ha. The textbook examples of "how not to run a business" continue....
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 9, 2010 20:29:33 GMT -8
My spidey senses are tingling for some reason. Either, blame the new eco-friendly laundry soap I am using, causing some allergic reaction, or something is afoot. I suggest keeping eyes and ears open. And if what I have typed so far isn't strange enough, I think a Monty Python quote is in order, "...nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more."
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D'Elete BC in NJ
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Dispensing gallons of useless information daily...
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Post by D'Elete BC in NJ on Jan 10, 2010 16:57:32 GMT -8
My spidey senses are tingling for some reason. Either, blame the new eco-friendly laundry soap I am using, causing some allergic reaction, or something is afoot. I suggest keeping eyes and ears open. And if what I have typed so far isn't strange enough, I think a Monty Python quote is in order, "...nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more." Don't worry, it's just fleas and has nothing to do with keeping an ear to the track for an oncoming train...
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 11, 2010 6:41:56 GMT -8
My spidey senses are tingling for some reason. Either, blame the new eco-friendly laundry soap I am using, causing some allergic reaction, or something is afoot. I suggest keeping eyes and ears open. And if what I have typed so far isn't strange enough, I think a Monty Python quote is in order, "...nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more." Don't worry, it's just fleas and has nothing to do with keeping an ear to the track for an oncoming train... Those are designer and very fashionable fleas, I will have you know, I got them at Holts on a Boxing Day sale. Don't stand too close to the tracks because I agree the train is a comin. All shall be revealed in the fullness of time. Hopefully time had the lumberjack special breakfast and is feeling very full, and today will be the day.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 11, 2010 12:06:17 GMT -8
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Jan 11, 2010 14:13:07 GMT -8
Well, NE, if your twitch was in anticipation of a death notice, I guess we'll have to wait a bit. Or has the good captain hired you as his eastern consultant?
The mention in Derek Moscato's story of business tripling by last summer wasn't what I saw, or what I heard from passengers. If it wasn't monsooning today, I'd take a ride just to check again. Very dubious about that, particularly in light of the fact that virtually no one is riding to Ambleside.
The Gibsons story is a real eyebrow raiser. The two parties seemed miles apart on dock negotiations in '08, so I'd be fascinated to know what's happened there. We also haven't heard what became of Shaker's talks with Vancouver Parks Board, and it would seem that he needs a proper contract on this side for all his proposed expansion. March 1st, eh? We'll see.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 11, 2010 14:29:48 GMT -8
Well, NE, if your twitch was in anticipation of a death notice, I guess we'll have to wait a bit. Or has the good captain hired you as his eastern consultant? The mention in Derek Moscato's story of business tripling by last summer wasn't what I saw, or what I heard from passengers. If it wasn't monsooning today, I'd take a ride just to check again. Very dubious about that, particularly in light of the fact that virtually no one is riding to Ambleside. The Gibsons story is a real eyebrow raiser. The two parties seemed miles apart on dock negotiations in '08, so I'd be fascinated to know what's happened there. We also haven't heard what became of Shaker's talks with Vancouver Parks Board, and it would seem that he needs a proper contract on this side for all his proposed expansion. March 1st, eh? We'll see. Tripling in very small numbers might be hard to miss. 1 to 3 passengers is tripling but if you blink you might miss it. A loop service? We used to catch a bus on Hastings and go to the Loop, where we changed buses. Maybe you have to be loopy to ride. Some will think that BCinNJ and I are normally loopy. The loop service is probably an interesting idea though given that lots of tourists will be looking to get around and may not be as prone to think about the chilly interior or waiting in the rain to ride as commuters would. As well locals might try it when they normally don't as fears of parking and traffic might lead them to be creative if they aren't just plain avoiding the city centre. You might be close Neil in what we are going on about, but then maybe you aren't. To quote the late Mr. Gallo, "There will be no wine until its time." So until the cork is popped I will be as Sargeant Shultz and say I know nutink, I see nutink.
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Neil
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Posts: 7,175
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Post by Neil on Jan 11, 2010 16:02:48 GMT -8
To quote the late Mr. Gallo, "There will be no wine until its time." So until the cork is popped I will be as Sargeant Shultz and say I know nutink, I see nutink. I'll take those cryptic comments as confirmation that you are indeed acting for Captain Shaker, and are in possession of insider information. I'll speculate further that after he expands his empire to Gibsons, his next step will be a return to the Great Lakes, and the resurrection of the Toronto to Rochester ferry, where you, as his eastern admiral, will have used your political connections to procure docking rights favourable enough to warm the thrifty little cockles of his heart, and will have made use of the connections gained from standing in that theatre lineup with Lloyd Robertson to get some very favorable media buzz rolling. How's that for putting two and two together?
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 12, 2010 8:11:27 GMT -8
To quote the late Mr. Gallo, "There will be no wine until its time." So until the cork is popped I will be as Sargeant Shultz and say I know nutink, I see nutink. I'll take those cryptic comments as confirmation that you are indeed acting for Captain Shaker, and are in possession of insider information. I'll speculate further that after he expands his empire to Gibsons, his next step will be a return to the Great Lakes, and the resurrection of the Toronto to Rochester ferry, where you, as his eastern admiral, will have used your political connections to procure docking rights favourable enough to warm the thrifty little cockles of his heart, and will have made use of the connections gained from standing in that theatre lineup with Lloyd Robertson to get some very favorable media buzz rolling. How's that for putting two and two together? Eastern Admiral for a Tin Pot Navy - now that would be a barnstormer of a title to include on my resume. My terms for such a venture would be a non-refundable 5 year contract paid in advance, with unlimited expenses drawn on a cash deposit, Eco-friendly Audi A7 with the Adblue Diesel, monthly meetings held at the Wick Inn in Tofino, Eastern meetings catered by White Spot and Trolls, and unlimited BC Ferries Clam Chowder in the company lunchroom. That is the starting point of course with a benefits package in keeping with an Admirals rank. Now with that agreed to I would work for almost anyone. Wanna be my chief negotiator Neil for a cut of the deal?
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 12, 2010 14:12:24 GMT -8
Regarding announcements from Coastal Link:
- here is an email announcement, that someone forwarded to me.
- there is no announcement on the Coastal Link webpage, yet.
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Post by Dane on Jan 13, 2010 12:47:54 GMT -8
I am a terrible typist, I do admit. And I frequently write documents that get published for various reasons (websites, large internal circulation or what not).
So, acknowledging my known shortfall, I have someone read anything I am sending out that is reasonably important.
PLEASR.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 13, 2010 13:21:13 GMT -8
Dane I am also interested to see the effect on the "routs". Well the email says they are consistant. I guess that goes for spelling and proof reading as well.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jan 16, 2010 15:42:06 GMT -8
For some reason Gloria Gaynor has been on my mind today. The song, disco era anthem, "I Will Survive" has been going round and round and round in my head. And low and behold someone twigged on the reason. If you see the website - www.coastallinkferries.com/index.php?p=ferry_services and note the heading: "Running Regular Servive." If one wasn't used to the common typos and days of the week mislabeled on the site, one might come up with whole different meanings. I guess passengers can count on regular serviving. Or the company is serviving. But if things get irregular there goes the concept of servive. *Disclaimer. If you are now tortured by hearing Gloria belt out her well known song, I bear or bare no liabilities from the song ringing in your ears. Reading and now hearing the forum is entirely at your own risk. Spot one typo in the above and you win a ........... BTW not including Herr Flugel because he would get it immediately.
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