Southern Sunshine Coast Community Page

Bathrooms and communication

Waiting many hours before the cashier booth in horseshoe bay is inhumane. There are no bathrooms the sun is full strength in the afternoon and disabled patrons need to find a way to get down the hill, past the cashier booth and back up if they need to go to the bathroom. Furthermore there is never any communication or indication of how long people will need to wait there. This is added stress not knowing if cars will move while you take the long hike to the washrooms. On august 30 i was over 3 hours in the upper part of the lot before the cashier booth. At one point a neighbhoring car unloaded their wheelchair and then cars started moving so they quickly loaded it back up to find out that it was just a car leaving the waiting lineup. Communication can really help. Also there is no means of leaving that lineup if you in the middle. We all know as a Sunshine Coast resident that we are gonna wait longer than the schedule even if the stats say the ferry is almost never late or full, we know that stats doesnt reflect the sunshine coast, so please put in a bathroom/outhouse halfway up the hill before the cashiers or find a way for passengers to park somewhere where they know they will be safe for a while. Even communicating to the waiting crowd when the booth will open again would go a very very long way. The easiest fix for all complains would be more runs or bigger boats...

Sunshine Coast Identifier cards (?) in windscreens to access the Langdale lanes instead of being trapped in long Nanaimo traffic on highway

Langdale Identifiers

On time performance

The on time performance on the HSB/Langdale route needs to be urgently addressed and solved. This route consistently runs 30-45min late making commuting, travel for appointments etc incredibly stressful and unreliable for residents.

Better Functioning Reservation System

We operate a business that serves tourists and locals alike, and several families this year that we know did not come to visit us because they couldn't get a reservation on the ferries. The lack of certainty is a problem for young families, so I'd appreciate a more developed reservation system. there must be a better way. Small retail businesses rely on reliable transport from the ferries, and are seeing real effects of lack of certainty, bad press, with all the ferry break downs and the lack of ability to reserve. I am also not really a fan of the locals vs tourist narrative, there needs to be a way we can benefit both groups in tandem. Not sure if this has already been done, but could be tiered reservation fees for long-term vs short term resos.... (longer term might be those booking for weddings/travel and might be ok with paying more for certainty) and perhaps releasing resos in tiers over time, but then requiring them for a higher percentage of the passengers. I'm just spit balling here, but just thinking that there might be a way to require more reservations without penalizing the locals that need last-minute travel either.

Ferry waits are inhumane

We can’t get to work, can’t make appointments, miss flights, have to cancel plans because our route is lowest importance in the mainland. This is a serious problem that requires serious solutions. BC ferries does not seem to be listening to Sunshine Coast residents and the problems are getting worse, not better.

What did you learn from previous “ideas” shared with you that you have acted on to improve service?

Service

Priority loading for Sunshine Coast residents get rid of the experience card and give residents cards to Sunshine Coast residents.

We want tourists, but bc ferries’ job is to provide a service to residents who pay taxes. Take the millions you spend on advertising and buy another ferry.

There should be designated Reservation lanes in Langdale and Horseshoe Bay BEFORE the toll booth. People wouldn't miss their reservations.

On time performance

Frankly, it is terrible. It would be nice if simply loading a full boat doesn’t constantly cause delays.

Get the washroom facilities working in Horseshoe Bay!?! Not some time in the future. They need to be up and running NOW!

Washroom facilities

quite running the ferrys as a tourist service and selling hotel rooms and reservations !!

Engage Transport Canada

A frequent cause of delays involve not being at variance with Transport Canada regulations. A delay in the first ferry impacts all other sailings that day. Some regulations may be non-negotiable, most, I suspect, could stand flexibility. Remaining in cars during covid as an example.

The noisiest critics of BC Ferries service are those whose use it as a daily commute. Living on the Coast is to be ferry dependent.

Put the contributions from commuters in perspective vs. others.

ferrys needs to step up and pay your workers a wage that will attract employee's....START NOW so in 5 years we have trained crews

Potpourri of Issues

- More staff, including paid spares so sailings are not cancelled for lack of one crew member. - 2 dedicated boats as we used to have when we had half the traffic we have now. - Invest in new vessels that are reliable and stop keep extending the life of antiquated boats that are prone to breakdowns. - Change reservation system so that whatever portion of sailings you have dedicated for resos is known, AND, prevent individuals from booking dozens of alternative resos. So that those that have to travel on short notice know where they stand and have a chance. - Have more traffic management staff in Horseshoe Bay at peak travel times to better manage traffic outside and inside the ticket booth. It is crazy that those with resos arriving on time, routinely get told to drive around again because there is no room in the lot - only to find lots of space once you get past the booth. - Lack of washrooms and water for those poor souls stuck outside the booth on hot summer days. - Fix the current condition reporting system by having staff responsible to update website every 30 mins during peak travel season. - Incentivize staff and management regarding on-time departures so the system runs like a Swiss train. - Leadership training, and incentives, for senior staff to improve entire BCF culture and make it far more focused on client satisfaction, rather than cost minimization.