Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2020 13:49:50 GMT -8
It wouldn't take alot to rehire mid summer when the need is there. There is currently a 4 sail wait for over height traffic from Duke Point. The signs were there weeks ago and BCF could have made preparations. I am sorry but no excuse.
The reality is that many people are on holiday and will need to get home.
Cheers đź¤
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2020 14:03:06 GMT -8
"Renaissance is staying put, I wonder what passengers on rt 2 think when they see this ship tied up in DB All summer long. If the ship is not used in the summer BCF Should consider hiding her at Deas." Selfishly, I hope they don't consider this - getting to see the Coastal Renaissance sitting at Departure Bay greatly helps to keep my spirits up. For me Renaissance staying put speaks louder than thunder.
|
|
|
Post by Mike on Aug 31, 2020 14:11:48 GMT -8
It wouldn't take alot to rehire mid summer when the need is there. There is currently a 4 sail wait for over height traffic from Duke Point. The signs were there weeks ago and BCF could have made preparations. I am sorry but no excuse. The reality is that many people are on holiday and will need to get home. Cheers 🤠What would be the point? By the time you've hired and trained the required extra personnel, it would be time to lay them all off because it's the end of the summer season.
|
|
|
Post by Charles on Aug 31, 2020 16:49:02 GMT -8
It’s just unlucky and unfortunate as they couldn’t have foreseen the spike in traffic from early quarantine numbers and rehiring is just a logistical nightmare as they have to go through the process of hiring and retraining just for the employees to be laid off in a few weeks.
Sadly it’s not as easy as just “running” the ships full time, as to why they didn’t see the spike earlier in the summer and not begin the process I don’t fully understand but still it may have just been a loss for BCFerries to go through the process.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Aug 31, 2020 17:28:48 GMT -8
It wouldn't take alot to rehire mid summer when the need is there. There is currently a 4 sail wait for over height traffic from Duke Point. The signs were there weeks ago and BCF could have made preparations. I am sorry but no excuse. The reality is that many people are on holiday and will need to get home. Cheers 🤠What would be the point? By the time you've hired and trained the required extra personnel, it would be time to lay them all off because it's the end of the summer season. I recall Mark Collins saying six weeks training was needed for summer hires. Easy to point fingers if you ignore the logistics.
|
|
|
Post by northwesterner on Aug 31, 2020 18:46:06 GMT -8
They can't possibly run at 100% when they don't have the personnel. There was summer hiring that wasn't done this year, back when there was no certainty about how traffic levels were going to rebound. WSF has the same problem. Respectfully, there are methods to model the various scenarios and assign probability to them to help create a path forward for their organization, in the face of uncertainty. Both BCF and WSF failed to do so, and now are unable to service their constituency. It was and is a tough situation, but we need better planning for a variety of outcomes when we're in uncharted waters from our institutions.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2020 19:19:08 GMT -8
My thought is then if it takes 6 weeks to train crews, that adds more insight to this and I Thank you for that tidbit of info I was not aware of. However, then it would be the responsible thing to do is to limit who can travel. IE Essential and residential travel only. It is not right that Joe Blow from Comox has to wait a 4 sailing wait at Horesheo Bay because Jack from Regina is bringing his family and RV over to the Island on vacation, with all due respects.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Aug 31, 2020 19:40:16 GMT -8
They can't possibly run at 100% when they don't have the personnel. There was summer hiring that wasn't done this year, back when there was no certainty about how traffic levels were going to rebound. WSF has the same problem. Respectfully, there are methods to model the various scenarios and assign probability to them to help create a path forward for their organization, in the face of uncertainty. Both BCF and WSF failed to do so, and now are unable to service their constituency. It was and is a tough situation, but we need better planning for a variety of outcomes when we're in uncharted waters from our institutions. Isn't it kind of a contradiction in terms to say that there should be better planning for 'uncharted waters'? My sense is that transportation agencies all over the world have been caught by the unknown path of this pandemic. They've been dealing, along with the governments that often fund them, with massive drop offs in revenue and the uncertainty of how things might recover, or not. Some localities want travel, and tourism, to recover, and other places are fearful. As an individual, I'm faced with so many unknowns in navigating my personal life going forward, and I'm inclined to give a lot of slack to BC Ferries and others as they deal with the logistics of providing an extremely expensive service.
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Aug 31, 2020 19:51:18 GMT -8
My thought is then if it takes 6 weeks to train crews, that adds more insight to this and I Thank you for that tidbit of info I was not aware of. However, then it would be the responsible thing to do is to limit who can travel. IE Essential and residential travel only. It is not right that Joe Blow from Comox has to wait a 4 sailing wait at Horesheo Bay because Jack from Regina is bringing his family and RV over to the Island on vacation, with all due respects. How do you limit who can travel? Is it okay to travel fifty miles, but not five hundred? How much resources to you designate for checking people's credentials for their travel? We know that people have been lying about being residents when that was a factor in getting on board... what do you expect the ticket booth cashier to do about that? Maybe if this pandemic became a chronic condition, we'd figure it all out with time, but with things being so uncertain and fluid, I'm afraid that the current deficiencies in capacity and the delays are simply unavoidable, given how costly it is to operate a system like BC Ferries. The province has moved from an expected budget surplus to a deficit position. There's not the money to remedy every shortfall in government services.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2020 21:15:48 GMT -8
To me the logic is simple:
If you open the flood gate, be sure you have a big enough channel to handle the water, otherwise only open the gate enough that you can control.
I am sorry, but BC Ferries has way more demand that it can handle, therefore there must be some control.
This will be my final say on this matter.
|
|
|
Post by 1foot2ships on Aug 31, 2020 22:01:56 GMT -8
i have no knowledge of the WSF situation, but in regards to BCF, a lot of the replies above are inaccurate.
1. those who cite inability (6-wks training, no 2020 hiring...) are assuming the need for full crews. BCF has been very public in saying traffic is down significantly, thus their justification for running on B and C licenses.
2. on wknds when traffic is bursting, are these boats not on A licenses? somehow they arent and the union has a legitimate complaint about that. they certainly have the capacity. 100% of the 2019 seasonals (Nanaimo, HSB, TSW, SWB) and the majority of casuals (< ~4 yrs) are fully qualified and sitting at home.
my original post was to highlite the mis-use of resources:
1. the CR (310) could easily be swapped in for the Coquitlam (316) for an immediate bump in capacity. (is that math actually correct?) - - > sorry about your view Departure Bay
2. i dont know how many days they run, but the CC and the QNW do not do their full 8 trips. they do either 4 or 6. both have crew sitting idle. the union knows this also.
3. Mike's questioning about 'Whats the point, since summer is ending soon anyways' is correct, but this (good problem to have), was happening before i put up those screenshots.
my critique was merely to ask about - the inefficient use of ships - not being quicker to match demand - thus... not doing everything they can to re-capture revenue.
|
|
|
Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 3, 2020 17:11:43 GMT -8
I have to say BC Transit and TransLink are doing better with mask required rule. I feel like BC Ferries should have crews roaming around vessels and terminals to make sure people follow rules about mask including the outside because I have seen so many people break rules.
|
|
|
Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 9, 2020 9:56:07 GMT -8
Passengers on enclosed vehicle deck on route 1, 2, 9, 17 and 30 must go up to the passengers starting on September 30: www.bcferries.com/bcferries/faces/attachments?id=8395BC Ferries has been granted permission on allowing passengers to stay on enclosed vehicle deck on route 3.
|
|
dave2
Chief Steward
Deckhand!: Todo: Introduction post (I was born less than 100 feet from the ocean. The tide was...)
Posts: 155
|
Post by dave2 on Sept 9, 2020 11:01:59 GMT -8
And as predicted in my first comment which inaugurated the Covid thread, Facebook commenters are not amused.
>One concern I can forsee is what happens when this crisis is over and enforcement is reinstated. I can hear the arguments now, that the rule is bs as it has been bent in the past.
Is the crisis over? Well I suppose with masks now mandatory Transport Canada feels that they can force people off the lower deck, despite not having to deal with the fallout. Woopsie, my mask ripped, oh well. Guess I'll stay here /s
(Not something I'd do... hence the /s).
|
|
|
Post by whalebreath on Sept 9, 2020 19:46:25 GMT -8
As someone who's vehicle is more often than not on the lower deck I had a chuckle reading this-BC Ferries enforcement of regs is non existent and the place is often alive with people.
|
|
|
Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 10, 2020 10:32:09 GMT -8
|
|
Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,177
|
Post by Neil on Sept 17, 2020 20:14:24 GMT -8
These are not the best of times for ferry fans, that's for sure. Took my first trip yesterday since before the restrictions hit. 10:15am to Duke Point, 8:15pm back. Not a fan trip per se, as I was going to Courtenay for my daughter's birthday. Interminable COVID19 announcements at the start. Wall stickers admonishing vehicle occupants to only come up from the car deck to eat, buy stuff in the gift shop, or use the washroom. Tons of seats taped off. And a real downer: eating breakfast out of a box. Had to wonder about the waste that's being generated, but I think that's a common side effect of this pandemic. There was also just the general feeling of ... don't quite know how to characterize it, but, some sense of loss at everyone hiding in their cars because we're all so potentially dangerous. My younger daughter, who came along with me, also wondered what is going to transpire if this carries on into the winter, particularly with TC getting stricter. Are people going to be expected to freeze in their cars? You're not supposed to start your engine to warm things up. How do they reconcile people not being allowed to remain on the lower car deck with telling people not to come up to the lounge except when necessary? To be clear; I'm not criticizing the necessity of any of the measures BC Ferries has put in place. I'm not one of the COVID conspiracy idiots. I'm just saying that one of the seemingly endless downsides of this pandemic is that travelling on a ferry is now an exercise in getting from point A to point B as safely as possible, with all the fun drained out of it. On top of that, the dreadful fires that our neighbours to the south are dealing with are removing a lot of the scenery that usually makes the Salish Sea so wonderful to traverse. As someone said, 2020 is the year that just keeps on giving.
|
|
|
Post by Dane on Sept 18, 2020 14:12:47 GMT -8
When I can find a complete article, I'll post a link, but yesterday there was a reference to BC Ferries getting a cash injection for service maintenance. Initially there were few details, but today was confirmed to be $308 million.
From what I can gather, these funds are solely for the purpose of maintaining what is essentially the status quo right now. None of this appears to be new funding for anything that doesn't already exist.
I am watching some of the presumably deferred capital projects with interests, notably new major vessels and Langdale terminal capital upgrades.
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Sept 18, 2020 15:33:23 GMT -8
When I can find a complete article, I'll post a link, but yesterday there was a reference to BC Ferries getting a cash injection for service maintenance. Initially there were few details, but today was confirmed to be $308 million. From what I can gather, these funds are solely for the purpose of maintaining what is essentially the status quo right now. None of this appears to be new funding for anything that doesn't already exist. I am watching some of the presumably deferred capital projects with interests, notably new major vessels and Langdale terminal capital upgrades. Here is a Coast Reporter article: HERE
|
|
|
Post by avgeekjoe on Sept 19, 2020 22:29:51 GMT -8
Hearty congrats to BCFerries on landing the Covid19 aid! WELL DESERVED!
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Sept 20, 2020 12:16:47 GMT -8
Hearty congrats to BCFerries on landing the Covid19 aid! WELL DESERVED! Yes, BCFS has the keys to the Government of Canada's treasury for sure! Do you think the home addresses of the Premier and/or the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure had anything to do with this windfall?
|
|
|
Post by avgeekjoe on Sept 20, 2020 12:26:15 GMT -8
Hearty congrats to BCFerries on landing the Covid19 aid! WELL DESERVED! Yes, BCFS has the keys to the Government of Canada's treasury for sure! Do you think the home addresses of the Premier and/or the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure had anything to do with this windfall? I think it was motivational for them and frankly the BC Government considering its capital depends on BCFerries. That was my point. Versus a Washington State Governor and State Legislature who seemingly... don't care sufficiently at best. So with a likely BC election starting any day now, I don't want to be partisan or personal. Helps when I have three contacts - two of whom I consider friends - running for three different parties.
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Sept 20, 2020 14:54:05 GMT -8
Yes, BCFS has the keys to the Government of Canada's treasury for sure! Do you think the home addresses of the Premier and/or the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure had anything to do with this windfall? I think it was motivational for them and frankly the BC Government considering its capital depends on BCFerries. That was my point. Versus a Washington State Governor and State Legislature who seemingly... don't care sufficiently at best. So with a likely BC election starting any day now, I don't want to be partisan or personal. Helps when I have three contacts - two of whom I consider friends - running for three different parties. You entirely missed my point of sarcasm in my posting.
|
|
|
Post by avgeekjoe on Sept 20, 2020 19:40:10 GMT -8
I think it was motivational for them and frankly the BC Government considering its capital depends on BCFerries. That was my point. Versus a Washington State Governor and State Legislature who seemingly... don't care sufficiently at best. So with a likely BC election starting any day now, I don't want to be partisan or personal. Helps when I have three contacts - two of whom I consider friends - running for three different parties. You entirely missed my point of sarcasm in my posting. I did, sorry!
|
|
dave2
Chief Steward
Deckhand!: Todo: Introduction post (I was born less than 100 feet from the ocean. The tide was...)
Posts: 155
|
Post by dave2 on Oct 2, 2020 19:19:37 GMT -8
|
|