New ferry rules may increase Quinsam lineups and fares
From the Nanaimo Daily News: Tougher ferry safety rules may increase lineups, fares.
Transport Canada has tightened up the rules affecting minimum staffing levels for smaller B.C. Ferries vessels, raising fears of hefty fare increases and longer lineups.
New federal marine personnel regulations that took effect Jan. 1 mean B.C. Ferries must cut smaller vessels’ passenger capacity or beef up the number of crew members to meet personnel requirements to handle emergencies. Under the new rules, the MV Quinsam, serving Gabriola Island, lost 25% of its capacity.
[The Nanaimo Daily News article is no longer available on the newspaper's website.]
Filed in ferries,Gabriola Island 3 Comments so far
3 Responses to “New ferry rules may increase Quinsam lineups and fares”
island blog on 13 Feb 2009 at 4:36 pm #
What research has been undertaken into the scale of impact this will have on Gabriola’s ferry users? Think about those busy schooltime crossings…..
By my reckoning, a limit of 193 passengers on Quinsam translates into 2 people in each of 70 vehicles, plus a school bus load of students. Will the students will be given priority over farepaying passengers?
My guess is that they will – but should it be conditional on the Nanaimo School District funding the extra crew member in order to guarantee that their students don’t miss the boat?
island blog on 13 Feb 2009 at 4:39 pm #
Sorry – the 193 should, of course, refer to the Bowen Queen not Quinsam.
Gabriolan on 13 Feb 2009 at 7:00 pm #
Thanks, island blog — I hadn’t thought about the impact this would have on sailings that carry lots of students.
I would rather pay more than wait longer, if it comes to that. But oh my, just thinking about BC Ferries depresses me these days.