BC Ferries launches investigation of rough tripCBC News : Wednesday, November 25, 2009 BC
Ferries is conducting an internal safety investigation after a ferry was caught in a storm off Prince Rupert early Monday
morning. The MV Northern Adventure was hit by huge waves and hurricane-strength winds as it tried to cross the Hecate Strait
on its way to Skidegate on Haida Gwaii. Unable to sail on, the vessel spent four hours violently rocking in the high seas
until the crew managed to turn it around and return to Prince Rupert the next morning. The incident damaged several cars,
injured some crew members and left many passengers seasick and fearing for their lives. The storm also damaged the vessel's
starboard bow thruster, a device that helps the ship manoeuvre into dock. So far, BC Ferries has only said the storm
hit earlier and harder than was forecast. The union representing ferry workers will also take part in the investigation, according
to Kevin Hall, the labour relations officer for the BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union. "When we find ourselves in a situation
that pose a risk to the passengers or crew ... It's incumbent on the company and union to undergo an investigation ...
to look at all the causes," said Hall. BC Ferries is expecting to complete the investigation within weeks and make recommendations
to mitigate the danger in similar situations. No regulations brokenConcerns have been
raised that the vessel, which was brought from the Mediterranean to work the Queen Charlotte Islands route, may not be suitable
for the rough seas of Hecate Strait on the northwest coast of B.C., but it is not clear if those issues will be addressed
in the investigation. B.C. New Democrat MLA Gary Coons, who represents the riding of North Coast, said the Northern Adventure
has a reputation for instability, even in calm waters, and it has been nicknamed the "vomit comet" by regular passengers.
Transport Canada spokeswoman Jillian Glover said the vessel broke no federal rules. "The vessel is certified for short
international voyages, so there's no specific wind or weather limitations on it. So ultimately … it's the master's
call, based on his experience, whether or not to go out in that weather," said Glover. "The master is expected
to do due diligence and check weather forecasts. It is in the Canada Shipping Act that the master should take all reasonable
steps to ensure the safety of the vessel and all the people on board," she said. BC Ferries bought the 117-metre vessel
from Greece and launched it on the route in March 2007. Less than a month after its introduction, the ferry was pulled from
service for a 10-day refit to deal with a host of onboard problems. The vessel replaced the Queen of the North, which struck
an island and sank on March 22, 2006, resulting in the loss of two lives. Times Colonist : Friday, November 20, 2009Transportation Minister Shirley
Bond still won't commit to improved transparency at B.C. Ferries despite a report criticizing the company's executive
pay packages and lack of accountability. Under questioning in the legislature yesterday, Bond would only say that government
will consider each of the comptroller general's recommendations -- including that B.C. Ferries be subject to Freedom of
Information law. "We asked the comptroller general for advice, and we intend to review every recommendation," she
said. The Opposition, however, accused Bond of "stalling" and blamed the lack of transparency at B.C. Ferries
for the fact David Hahn earned $1 million last year -- more than double the amount paid top executives at larger public sector
bodies. "It was this premier that gave B.C. Ferries a green light to excessively spend and to operate in secret by exempting
them from FOI," NDP critic Gary Coons said. "This premier created this B.C. Ferries gone wild with no accountability
and no scrutiny." The Liberal government shielded B.C. Ferries from freedom of information law six years ago when the
company switched from a Crown to a quasi-private corporation. As a result, executive salaries remained a secret -- even though
taxpayers subsidize the company by more than $100 million a year. Hahn's compensation only surfaced this summer because
of changes to federal securities laws that obliged the company to disclose compensation amounts. At the time, Bond called
Hahn's compensation level "shocking" and ordered a review by the comptroller general. Coons said Bond
could avoid such shocks in the future by forcing B.C. Ferries to obey open records rules. "This government is stalling,
hoping the issue will go away," he said. "It was a mistake to hide B.C. Ferries from the public." The B.C.
Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, B.C. Civil Liberties Association, and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation also
have urged government to bring the ferry company back under FOI law.
Harbour
City Star : Friday, November 20, 2009Transportation Safety Board investigators
returned Tuesday to the site of a train-car crash that killed two parents and critically injured their 14-year-old son. Officials
from Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver monitored driving behaviour and questioned motorists at the Dorman Road train crossing
yesterday as part of an expanded safety inquiry into the Oct. 14 collision. Officials will spend today examining other railway
crossings in the city. Not every TSB train investigation involves monitoring motorists but it is not uncommon in crossing
accidents. "There's no one to talk to that was involved in the accident itself,"
said Peter Hickli on Tuesday, TSB senior regional investigator for B.C. "We're hoping to get a sample of people so
we can have an idea of what we're looking at (and) see if we can spot any kind of patterns." Rosane Perreault, 44
and Lyle Hall, 49, died after their car was hit by the Via Rail Dayliner. Their son Andrew, 14, remains in a coma. The
in-depth TSB investigation was prompted by the findings of a preliminary inquiry a day after the crash.
Oceanside
Star : Thursday, November 19, 2009An estimated 400 people turned out last Thursday to have
a look at the City of Parksville's proposed Master Transportation Plan. Michael Skene, president of the Boulevard Transportation
Group, consultants on the plan, certainly gave people something to talk about: a trolley connecting the resort area to the
downtown, a second bridge off Despard Avenue over the Englishman River, and roundabouts here and there, including on Highway
19A at McVickers and McMillan streets. However, nothing is set in stone, Skene told the open house at Knox United Church.
Boulevard has presented a series of options which to varying degrees address problems and achieve goals. There are four
city-wide scenarios to choose from and, once you've chosen one of those, three downtown options. For details, it's
best to go to http://www.parksville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID286atID3179.pdf and go through the slide presentation. The four city-wide scenarios have among their aims to improve intersections and to
stop people from cutting through quiet residential streets to get from one area to another. They are: 1. Extend Despard
and Hirst Avenue to Church Road; 2. Extend Despard and Hirst to Church with an interchange at Church and Highway 19A; 3.
Extend Despard to Tuan Road with a river crossing; 4. Extend Despard and Hirst to Church, extend Despard to Tuan with
an interchange at Church and Highway 19A. Then there are the three options for the downtown core, which have among their
goals connecting the downtown to the waterfront and addressing some of the intersection issues along Highway 19A (Skene described
the unsignalized intersections with 19A as "very bad"): A. Four narrower lanes on Highway 19A with the Jensen
Extension; B. Two lanes on Highway 19A and two lanes on Jensen with the extension; C. One way westbound on Highway
19A (two lanes) and one way eastbound on Jensen with the extension. Skene went through the pros and cons of the scenarios
and options and presented Boulevard's scorecard for the various combinations based on variables such as cost, performance
(traffic flow), parking, greenhouse gases, waterfront connectivity etc. The top-ranked combination of scenario and option
is Scenario 1, Option 3, basically doing the least amount of work to make Despard a main route across the city, combined with
Mayor Ed Mayne's "vision" of making 19A two lanes and one way west and Jensen two lanes and one way east. The
worst or highest scores were given to Scenario 4, Options A and B. There are also city-wide plans for cycling, pedestrians,
and transit, including a trolley or shuttle on a loop route connecting the resorts, the downtown beach and the downtown core.
The study determined there's enough parking; it just isn't directly outside people's destinations. Skene said
there's lots of unused parking within a 2-4-minute walk of the downtown core, except during special events in the beachfront
Community Park. Time restrictions, pay parking and more are being looked at to encourage shorter stays in what should be customer
parking and longer stays, such as employee parking, elsewhere.
The proposals are costly ('Cost' categories
range from '$0-$30 million' to '$60 million-plus'), and Mayor Mayne said some of it may be "30, 40, 50
years" away. As well, there are complications, since some of it involves the Regional District of Nanaimo, private properties
and the Agricultural Land Reserve. The City wants people to fill out a feedback form, which is available online or at City
Hall, and return it by Friday, Nov. 20. If you have questions, you're encouraged to contact Mike Squire, the City's
Manager of Engineering, at 250 951-2480 or msquire@parksville.ca. At some point, Boulevard will then present a Draft Master Transportation Plan to city council.
President and CEO of B.C. Ferries David Hahn aboard the Coastal Celebration.It's a good thing David Hahn waited several days before speaking out. Who knows what the president of
BC Ferries might have said last Friday after the release of a report that concluded he and other top ferry officials are paid
too much? As it was, Hahn started off an interview by saying he had to be careful. Then he unloaded on the B.C. comptroller-general’s
report anyway, variously referring to findings and recommendations as “biased,” “nonsense,” “craziness,”
and “dumb.” “Other than that, I have no opinion,” he joked at one point. Hahn even objected to the part where comptroller-general Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland stated that, compensation
aside, the quasi-private company was reasonably well-managed. “I’d probably take exception with the word ‘reasonably,’”
he said. “I think it’s so much better, it’s night and day.” Hahn,
who earned more than $1 million last year, said he was insulted by the report’s suggestion that he had too much influence
over his own compensation. The board decides, not him, he said. “I’m very unceremoniously thrown out of the room,
because that’s how it works,” he said. “And I’m not even quite sure she understands that.” He
also dismissed the report’s suggestion that it was too easy for BC Ferries executives to earn bonuses. “I kind of chuckled, and thought it was sad at the same time, when she said the targets were easy to
achieve,” he said. “Do you think building ships in B.C. and getting that done the right way is easy to achieve?
Do you think the on-time performance on the ships or changing the culture of BC Ferries from what it was to what it is, is
easy? “I don’t know. Maybe she never rides the ferries or didn’t ride them a long time ago. But I know from
where it was to where it is today, we’ve got a lot to be proud of.” Hahn
said Wenezenki-Yolland “went out of her way” to make the board and executives look bad by noting they had measured
their compensation against large private companies — like Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and Nike Canada Ltd. — instead
of public sector bodies. Hahn said the analysis looked at a range of public and private
organizations, and BC Ferries landed in the middle of the pack. But he said the comptroller-general played down that fact
to make her report more “sensational.” Wenezenki-Yolland found that Hahn’s compensation was more than double
the amount paid top executives at larger public-sector bodies, while board retainers were three to five times higher than
those permitted at B.C. Crown corporations. Hahn also rejected the report’s call
for increased accountability and greater separation between the B.C. Ferry Authority and BC Ferries’ board of directors.
At present, the authority simply appoints itself to the BC Ferries board, creating what Wenezenki-Yolland called a conflict
of interest. She also recommended an expanded role for the B.C. ferry commissioner to protect the public interest. Hahn said
the additional “bureaucracy” would cost an extra $3 million to $5 million a year. “Everybody’s out
there looking for ways to be more efficient and effective, and I’m getting a layer here that just is everything we’ve
tried to get away from, which . . . it’s just craziness!” Hahn suggested Wenezenki-Yolland was “biased”
toward a public-sector model.
Major BC Ferries and TransLink reforms
needed: reportCBC News, November 8,
2009The top levels of both BC Ferries and TransLink require
a major restructuring to give them more accountability, greater transparency and better oversight, B.C.'s comptroller
general says. In her report released Friday morning, Comptroller General Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland
targeted the governing structure of both organizations and found both badly in need of reforms, but for different reasons.
Wenezenki-Yolland said the structure of TransLink, the regional transit authority for Metro
Vancouver, was plagued by uncertainty and conflicting interests, because of the unclear role of the regional Mayors' Council,
leading to significant operational issues. In theory the Mayors' Council was set up only
a year and half ago to provide long-term direction for TransLink, but the comptroller found it failed to provide effective
leadership.
"Inaction by TransLink and the Mayors' Council
to maintain a balance between expenses and revenues has brought TransLink to a point at which substantial operating deficits
in 2010 and beyond will be difficult to avoid," wrote Wenezenki-Yolland. The report recommended
provincial government representatives be added to the regional Mayors' Council and that group be renamed the Transit Authority,
with a stronger mandate to oversee the operational board of TransLink. BC
Ferries lacks public accountabilityIn the report, Wenezenki-Yolland was also critical
of upper echelons of BC Ferries Corporation, and its only shareholder, the BC Ferries Authority. The
report said the BC Ferry Authority board was ineffective in overseeing the company and protecting the public interest, because
the boards of both organizations were virtually the same, creating an inherent conflict of interest. To
strengthen the oversight of BC Ferries, the BC Ferry Authority must be more independent of the BC Ferries board, said the
comptroller. Wenezenki-Yolland also criticized the retainers that the BC Ferries directors paid
themselves, noting they were three to five times higher than comparable levels at Crown corporations.
"Our concerns regarding BC [Ferries] compensation are compounded by the fact the BC [Ferries] board sets its own compensation
and approves the executive compensation without accountability to the independent [BC Ferries] Authority," she wrote.
She also found the executives at BC Ferries were paid significantly more than comparable large
public sector organizations. CEO David Hahn's compensation — at $1 million —
was more than double his peers in the public sector, and that performance targets for incentive bonuses for executives were
"easier to attain that we would have expected."
Despite
the criticisms of the structure and generous compensation, overall the comptroller general found BC Ferries was a "well
managed and reasonably effective operation." Single commission recommendedWenezenki-Yolland also found the BC Ferry Commission — a third organization which regulates BC Ferries
fares and routes — was too narrowly focused on ensuring the coastal ferry system was financially sustainable. She recommended the commission be given a broader mandate to focus more on the needs of customers and communities.
Likewise, she found the Regional Transportation Commission should also be given
a stronger mandate to make it more effective at regulating TransLink operations. She then
recommended both organizations be scrapped and replaced with a single Transportation Commission, much like the BC Utilities
Commission, to create a more effective and independent regulatory organization.
Wenezenki-Yolland
wrote the report after Transportation Minister Shirley Bond and Finance Minster Colin Hansen originally asked her in August
to conduct a review of the operations of the two provincial bodies. The report was released
the day after the former president of TransLink, Tom Prendergast, resigned to take up a position heading the New York City
Transit Authority.
A copy of the full report can be found at http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/OCG/ias/pdf_Docs/transportation_governance.pdf STATEMENT BY BC FERRIES’ CHAIR OF THE BOARD
VICTORIA – I am extremely proud of BC Ferries’ accomplishments since 2003.
The Board, management and employees have all contributed towards advancing the company from a dysfunctional crown corporation
to a financially sound and progressive commercial enterprise. Over
the last number of years, BC Ferries has overhauled a large portion of its fleet and invested over a billion and a half dollars
in its vessels, terminals and systems. During this same period, BC Ferries has returned $490 million to the people of British
Columbia. Success speaks for itself and our customer service
ratings are at their highest levels ever. BC Ferries is now regarded as one of the leading ferry transportation companies
in the world. The advances achieved over the last half decade were due to a number of important contributing factors. These
included: independence from political interference, strong Board and management leadership, independent financial borrowing
capability and sound commercial business practises. Since BC
Ferries was created as an independent enterprise six years ago, its entire decision making, policies, and practises have been
built on a commercial business platform. The BC Ferries Board of Directors is currently reviewing the Comptroller General’s
report and will meet with the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure once a suitable time can be arranged. Elizabeth J. Harrison QC BC
Ferries’ Board Chair
Roads to shape the city's futureParksville Qualicum Beach News : November 08, 2009 10:00 AM
"This is potentially the most important public hearing we'll have
during the entire three years of this council," mayor Ed Mayne told the media, calling for the entire community to come
out and give input at Thursday's transportation open house. Transportation is a hot issue in Parksville and the city is
inviting everyone to Knox church to see the proposals in the works and get a chance to make sure the city hears their feedback.
The city has been working to update the 2002 Master Transportation Plan over the last
six months to identify key issues and update their long term plans, including looking at the impact of the Jensen Avenue extension
and an update of the Downtown Core Area Parking Study. Working with outside consultants at Boulevard
Transportation Group, the city's engineering and operations department is looking to identify strategies to improve the
ability of residents to meet their transportation needs, while aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve road safety,
develop accessible infrastructure and improve community well-being.
Mike Squire,
city manager of engineering, stressed that the public input is a crucial part of the decision making process and key to the
overall review. Mayne also urged "average citizens" to attend the open house since they don't want the feedback
limited to the usual extremes of environmentalists and developers. "This is so important to the future of the city,"
Mayne said. "The most frustrating part of these public meetings is we don't hear from those in the middle." Cowichan
Valley Citizen : November 06, 2009Lake Cowichan parents will meet with Cowichan Valley
School District officials to discuss ways that A.B. Greenwell School children can board the bus in the parking lot of their
old school on Hammond Road and other busing issues. At present, students are boarding buses by the Lake Cowichan United Church
or at Lake Cowichan Secondary School and parents say they don't feel either situation is as good as the old school area.
The district cut that bus stop this year because of concerns about the safety of children, according to Bob Harper, district
secretary-treasurer. "It's a long driveway with trees on each side and no easy observation of the kids," he
told parents. However, several said they found there was far greater danger at the high school. One mother said she
saw a nine year old hit by a vehicle at LCSS because the child was simply excited and running around in an area where there's
a seismic renovation of the high school underway plus all that big school's usual vehicles added to the mix. Lake Cowichan
Coun. Jayne Ingram said, "There's a lot going on there right now. That is not the spot for young kids." Another
parent said the A.B. Greenwell group is like a family and no child would ever be left alone in the parking lot at the old
school. Parents also told the school board that because A.B. Greenwell is at Youbou now, the children are missing out
on some community activities like the Terry Fox Run and the Tour de Rock celebrations. While still at A.B. Greenwell, they
would simply walk to these events, but now they must pay for a bus to take them, Principal Jann Drake explained. In
addition, busing problems in September were briefly discussed. "That startup is not one we want to repeat," said
Bob Harper. The district had new software and an entirely new front-end staff in the transportation department and these
combined at the beginning of the year to result in some snags, he said. "That gave us a very, very rough startup."
Both Harper and Board Chair Ann Andersen said the district would be very willing to deal with a group of parents.
Comox
Valley Echo : November 06, 2009Is traffic at Mark R. Isfeld Secondary an accident waiting
to happen? The school principal and parents are re-sounding an alarm to curb what has become a daily traffic jam in the school
parking lot and Lerwick Road after school. "So far, touch wood, we haven't had an accident or people haven't
become more impatient," said school principal Bill Village. The school's population
has grown exponentially in the past two years, taking in more students from a boundary adjustment in Comox and welcoming French
immersion students, who aren't eligible for busing. One of the only transit buses that does drive by in the afternoon
passes the school 15 minutes before the school bell rings. The next bus comes an hour later. Its schedule isn't expected
to change when transit schedules adjust in January.
A representative for Watson and Ash, the company that runs
public transit buses in the Valley, said the bus schedule can't just change that easily to suit the school because it
has a schedule to keep. It is suggesting the school district pay for a special run after school to address the problem because
any fares collected from students wouldn't nearly cover the full cost of a separate bus run. District Superintendent Jordan
Tinney said he is aware of the problem, but doesn't recall any special funding requests.
"We know that
Isfeld is a concern and that Valley View, to some extent is too," said Tinney. He added that district staff have questions
about the number of parents who drive their children to school who actually live within walking distance. But as the weather
cools and November rains roll in, the line-ups at the school get longer. Parent Heather Demeo says the situation got so bad
last year, students organized a petition listing at least 65 names of students willing to pay to take the bus. "I don't
understand why city transit doesn't want to cash in on that," she said. Demeo says she carpools with five other moms,
and many parents are trying the same tactic, but the lineups aren't dwindling.
Isfeld is serviced by a 'school
special' - a public transit bus that carries overflow students to the school in the morning. The service is not available
at Isfeld in the afternoon. It is, however, available at the other two high schools in the Valley. "It created an inequity
between schools," she said. "Not to mention the environmental impact."
Back at the high school,
principal Bill Village said the school has tried to make more room for parents at the back of the school, any area typically
used by school buses. The separate area also makes it easier for parents to turn left on Lerwick. But still the problem exists.
"They line up all the way out to Lerwick," said Village. "On blustery, rainy days it's only going to get
worse."
Change in Dayliner direction consideredNanaimo News Bulletin : November 05, 2009 11:00 AM
The Island Corridor Foundation hopes to reverse the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island Dayliner service
so it starts in Nanaimo every morning instead of Victoria. “It’s all part of trying to find ways to improve rail
service on Vancouver Island,” said Graham Bruce, executive director. “It makes sense and I think there’s
good demand for it from the general public.”
The foundation wants the train to leave Nanaimo around 6 a.m.
and arrive in Victoria around 8 a.m., picking up commuters along the way. The train would then do its regular route
from Victoria to Courtenay and be back in Victoria in time to do a return run to Nanaimo. Bruce said reversing the run makes
sense because many people live in the mid-Island, but work in the Capital Regional District. “There’s over
200 people in the Comox Valley who work at the Esquimalt naval base,” he said.
Once the Nanaimo to Victoria
commuter run is established, the second phase would be to get a second train on the route, which would leave Nanaimo shortly
after the first train and then make commuter runs between Langford and downtown Victoria. The plan also includes moving
the railway’s maintenance operations from Victoria to Nanaimo. Bruce said centralized operations make a possible a third
phase – excursion trains taking people from Nanaimo’s soon-to-be-built cruise ship terminal to Victoria and a
tourist run to Cameron Lake.
The foundation is developing business plans for the first phase of the service with
Southern Rail, the company that operates the railway’s freight and passenger services. Marilyn Hutchinson, the City
of Nanaimo’s economic development officer, said the service change would benefit Nanaimo residents. She said many residents
have told her they commute to work in Victoria either on a daily or weekly basis. In 2007, 252 residents responded to a survey
about a float plane service to Victoria, with 70 per cent supporting the idea and 84 per cent willing to pay between $50 and
$75 for a one-way ticket.
The reverse train service model could also bring more tourists up to Nanaimo from Victoria
for the day, Hutchinson added. Catherine Kaloutsky, spokeswoman for Via Rail, the company that holds the contract from
Southern Rail for providing passenger train services, said there are no immediate plans to change the service. “It’s
something that certainly can be looked at, but it requires discussion,” she said. “Normally, we work at least
eight months ahead of time for our schedules.” Olympic security plan a safety risk, airline warnsSaltspring
Air says diverting passengers for screening will jeopardize flights 
CBC News : Monday, November 2, 2009
Pilots who operate a small coastal airline in B.C.
are warning that a plan to divert its flights for security screening during the Olympics will cause serious safety risks in
winter weather. "It will force us to fly in an opposite direction — where the winds can be much stronger and the
visibility can be greatly reduced," said Saltspring Air owner St. Clair McColl, a pilot. "And there's no place
to seek safe harbour."
Saltspring Air flies four de Havilland Beaver floatplanes
direct from Salt Spring Island to Vancouver and back — a flight that takes 20 minutes one way. The airline has been
told it will have to transport its Vancouver-bound passengers 48 kilometres out of their way during the Olympics — up
the coast of Vancouver Island — for security screening in Nanaimo, before flying east to the mainland. Salt Spring is
the largest, most visited of the Southern Gulf Islands, with a population of 10,000 residents — along with another 4,000
on nearby islands — many of whom commute to and from the mainland regularly. They can use the B.C. ferry system, but
that takes several hours.
McColl said the security diversion plan would triple flight times and force his planes
to fly into stormier areas over open water in the Strait of Georgia. Because the pilots can't fly in the dark, he said,
it would also put afternoon flights in a race with daylight. "A lot of people don't like turbulence —
and you will get a lot more wind shear and downdrafts there," said chief pilot Harold Kirkpatrick. "The water can
be affected. If we get stuck in that — it's going to be a real problem. "There's also increased traffic.
You have to worry about the planes taking off and landing in Nanaimo … with reduced visibility and bad weather. That's
more cause for concern over mid-air collisions. That could be a very serious factor as well." Passengers
could be stranded"Under this scenario, we will have to ground flights or postpone going into Nanaimo,
which would also postpone other passengers coming back from Vancouver, which would mean those passengers could be stranded
— with nowhere to stay," McColl said. More than 1,600 residents and businesspeople on Salt Spring have signed
a petition against the plan. There are concerns it could also discourage Olympic tourists from visiting the island. Transport
Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, along with the RCMP and other agencies, have been working for months
on a plan for all air passengers coming into Vancouver during the Games to go through security clearance first. During
preliminary consultations, McColl said, airlines operating on and around Vancouver Island were advised to plan for security
screening in Nanaimo or Victoria only. Decision-makers didn't visit"It was us
against them," McColl said. "When they said, 'We have been flying around the countryside to see your operation,'
I knew that it wasn't true, because we never had them on board. They never came to Salt Spring. "We said [their plan]
wouldn't work — and they said, 'well, too bad, that's the way it's going to be.'" McColl's
company is one of several small operators affected. Two others, Seair Seaplanes and Harbour Air, also fly in and out of Salt
Spring. Harbour Air has already announced plans to cancel that service in February. Mathieu Larocque, a spokesman for the
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, said the budget for the current Olympic screening equipment and operation is $17.5
million. "We are currently finalizing our plans and are unable to disclose the cost of other specific sites until that
exercise is completed," Larocque wrote in an email.
McColl said he was told in planning meetings that a temporary
screening facility on Salt Spring would cost about $500,000. "They are saying [in meetings] it's too much money
and the only person that can actually authorize another facility in the Gulf Islands would be [Transport Minister] John Baird,"
McColl said. He has written to Baird several times, urging him to consider the impact on the estimated 2,400 passengers who
would be affected during the five-week Olympic period, but he has not received a direct response from the minister. Minister
of State (Sport) Gary Lunn, who is the MP for the Gulf Islands, has also asked Baird to consider the airline's dilemma. "Given
the size of the community affected, the significance of the games to that community's economy and the particular geographic
challenges … I would invite you to reconsider providing Salt Spring Island a temporary screening location," Lunn
wrote to Baird in early September. "This would not only be in the best interests of local residents, but I believe it
would ultimately be in the best interests of the 2010 Games." When asked in Ottawa whether he was aware of the problem,
Baird appeared to be re-thinking the original plan. Minister reflecting on concerns"We
put out preliminary regulations to seek the input of the public," he said. "We're going to be reflecting on
what we heard and we will be responding in short order. "Obviously, there's a significant amount of concerns. We've
got to balance off the interest of everyone in the community as well as the interest of Olympic safety, because we want to
ensure that these are safe Games for the athletes, for the people of Vancouver and for the world." McColl said those
are his sentiments exactly. "It is the Olympics — but at the same time we are dealing with safety here,"
he said, "I'm trying to do my best to minimize the risk here." Until now, McColl said, his repeated efforts
to be heard got him nowhere. "We got the runaround — after six meetings and close to a year. The little guy is
getting bulldozed." Alberni
Valley Times : October 29, 2009
When Dylan Green heard that B.C. Ferries was going to
cut some runs from Nanaimo, he knew it was going to affect his bottom line. As owner of Tofino Bus Island Express, approximately
half of his customers want to connect to Vancouver or Victoria. The cancellation of sailings was bad news for his business.
But he figured he could ride it out and the company would be fine in the end. Then
Greyhound announced it was going to slash its runs that connect to the cancelled sailings and some to Victoria, and Green
knew he was in trouble. "I know half my riders are trying to connect to the two big cities," he said. "It could
potentially mean a loss of $13,000 a month." It was this reality that has forced him to accept that he too had to cut
the number of runs his drivers were making over The Hump. Unfortunately paperwork and regulation threatens to
tie that up for months because he is required to offer three runs in both direction every day. In order to drop
below that he needed special approval. The time delay could potentially ruin his chances to survive the change the other two
companies implemented. Green needed to speed up the process, and so he approached council at their regular meeting on
Monday to ask for a letter of support to drop his number of runs from three to two, except on Friday and Sundays when it would
remain the same. Council offered its full support and sympathy. With their backing, Green is going to move forward with
his own schedule changes in hopes that it will only take a few months before he gets final approval.When that happens, he
will drop the scheduled run that meets up with the 7 p.m. ferry sailing. Instead he will work out a schedule that will meet
up with the 5 p.m. ferry, and also the connections to Victoria. He's hoping his ridership won't drop off as
a result of the changes. "The times that I am choosing are very attractive times, so I hope there will be no loss,"
he said. Green said this is something he just didn't foresee. He heard the sailing were going to drop, but he figured
Tofino Bus would be fine because the sailings would return for the holiday season and during the Olympics and then it would
be back to normal in the spring. It wasn't until he heard that Greyhound's runs would be permanent that he realized
his company wouldn't be able to ride out the tough times. Still he is feeling optimistic going, even though he could suffer
some losses in the months that it takes to receive approval for the schedule change. Council suggested to Green that he should
consider competing with Greyhound and offering his own runs to Victoria and Vancouver. Green is not taking the cuts
personally because they occurred all the way across Canada. He said at this point competing with Greyhound just isn't
feasible. Although it is something he may have to consider in the future if Greyhound continues to make cuts, for now he is
happy with the working relationship he has with the national busline. Green said once the schedule changes are approved
they will be advertised. Until then, the schedule will remain unchanged.
Visitors at Victoria's open house want to know if it's bus or rail
Times
Colonist : October 21, 2009
An open house yesterday at Victoria City Hall drew more than 60 people who were curious about preliminary
plans for a rapid-transit corridor in Greater Victoria. The event, offering details of the Victoria Regional Rapid Transit
project, follows a similar open house in Colwood last week that drew about 50 people.People are interested in whether buses
or trains would use the corridor, said project director Erinn Pinkerton. "Everybody wants to know -- is it a bus or a rail?"
she said.
Charts lining the antechamber at city hall illustrated the route in three segments, each with three routing options. "We narrowed it
down to a preferred alignment by segment," said Pinkerton. The preferred corridor will be presented tomorrow to the Victoria Regional
Transit Commission, where it's hoped members will give their endorsement. Then plans will go to B.C. Transit's board
of directors Oct. 28. "If we get the buy-in at those two levels, then we go to our next phase of taking that preferred alignment
and going into the detailed analysis," Pinkerton said.
People also want to know how the alignment links to
the University of Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula. "There's also a huge appetite for a linkage into the walking
and cycling network," said Pinkerton.
Retiree Alec Beattie looked closely at the display and chuckled. "Who's going to fund it?
That's what I'm trying to understand. Nobody's got any money to do any of this stuff." Beattie lives where
the Trans-Canada Highway becomes Douglas Street at Town and Country Shopping Centre. He wants transit planners to get some
of the traffic off the highway. "When I moved there 20 years ago, I couldn't hear the Trans-Canada at all but now it's pulsing
all the time because the volume is so great," said Beattie.
Dana Griffith, also retired, is hoping plans call
for light rail to Sidney and also to the West Shore. Griffith chooses to take the bus over her car because of environmental
concerns. She lives in the Quadra-McKenzie area but has difficulty lining up University of Victoria's night classes with
transit. "Sometimes
I've not taken an evening class because a lot of classes are over at 9:30 p.m. and the bus leaves at 9:32 p.m."The next bus that could
take her home usually doesn't leave for an hour, said Griffith.
SPIRIT
OF VANCOUVER ISLAND GOES FOR EARLY REFIT Regular schedule resumes on Tsawwassen
– Swartz Bay route on October 13 BC
FERRIES, VICTORIA - OCTOBER 12, 2009
The refit and maintenance period of the Spirit of Vancouver
Island has been moved ahead as a result of the fire in the stand-by generator. The Spirit of British Columbia was originally scheduled to go for its annual maintenance
and recertification period from October 13 through the end of November. The Spirit of Vancouver
Island was to undergo its annual maintenance period after the Spirit of British Columbia returned
to service. Due to the fire on the Spirit of Vancouver Island and associated repairs, BC Ferries
is swapping the refits. Concurrent with the Spirit of Vancouver Island’s refit and
recertification, repairs to the damaged stand-by generator, wiring, cabling, and electrical
components will be conducted. The Spirit of Vancouver Island is expected to return to service
at the end of November. The cause of the fire has not been determined at this point and BC Ferries
is conducting an internal investigation regarding this matter. During
this time, the regular schedule will remain in effect on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route.
The Spirit of British Columbia will be redeployed to the Swartz Bay terminal on October 13.
The Queen of New Westminster will sail in place of the Spirit of British Columbia based at Tsawwassen.
The Coastal Celebration will provide supplemental service on Fridays and Sundays.
For
full schedule details, visit www.bcferries.com.
Running buses down dedicated lanes in the
centre of Douglas Street is no longer the preferred option for rapid transit in Greater Victoria."Going on the side appears to have some advantages over going down the
centre," said B.C. Transit president and CEO Manuel Achadinha, adding one problem with the centre line is that stations
were too small. "If you have to put the proper-sized stations in there, you don't have enough space on Douglas."
The centre busway, a two-lane, bus-only stretch along Douglas from Fisgard Street to
Carey Road, was part of a $25-million plan that was shelved more than a year ago after it angered business owners along the
corridor, who were worried it would kill their businesses. After collecting data, consultation and evaluating options, transit
officials are looking for public feedback on the route for their $800,000 Rapid Transit Action Plan. The preferred corridor
from Station Avenue Exchange in Langford to downtown Victoria follows, in part, the E&N Rail right of way, Goldstream
Avenue and the Island Highway. From the new Uptown Shopping Centre to downtown there are two options -- along Douglas Street
or via both Douglas and Government streets.
Options for rapid transit include
everything from a rapid bus line to a modern streetcar or light rail. Officials say
regardless of the technology, they need an exclusive right-of-way.
"You're
trying to ensure reliability, frequency in transit service," said Erin Pinkerton, project manager for the rapid transit
project. "You can't put buses or rail or whatever it is that is stuck in traffic with other traffic. How would you
ensure a schedule?" Open houses on the options are planned for Thursday
from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Colwood municipal hall and Oct. 20 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Victoria City Hall.
Six hour ferry
misery
At the start of the holiday weekend, waits of up to 6 hours were already bringing misery
to travellers at lunchtime today, 9 October. Things could get worse yet.....
 
Photograph by: Ray
Smith, Times ColonistVictoria, B.C.
- An early morning generator fire on B.C. Ferries' Spirit of Vancouver Island will have the ship out of commission for
at least 24 hours, cancelling several sailings from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen and causing headaches for anyone trying to get
on or off the island for the Thanksgiving long weekend. A small fire to the ship’s
backup generator broke out as the ship switched from shore to ship’s power before the 7 a.m. sailing from Swartz Bay,
said B.C. Ferries president David Hahn. He said the fire was out quickly but
crews are now clearing the smoke, cooling down the equipment and accessing the damage.
“We’ve lost the ship for at least 24 hours,” Hahn said. The backup generator is a critical part
of the safety system, so the ship can’t sail until it is fixed, he said. The
Coastal Celebration vessel was set to replace the ship for the 8 a.m. sailing. The 11:00 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. sailings
from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen have been cancelled, as have the 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. sailings from Tsawwassen
to Swartz Bay. Assured loading tickets will not be honoured today between Swartz Bay
and Tsawwassen so loadings will work on a first come first serve basis - but additional
sailings will be added at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. from both Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen. “We’re
going to sail through the night if we have to get everyone over [to their destination],” Hanh said. He recommends people leave the Island via Duke Point or Departure Bay if they can. B.C. Ferries is encouraging foot passengers to travel after 7 p.m. tonight.Hahn
acknowledges there will likely be lengthy waits for travellers at the start of the already-busy long weekend. “It’s really crappy timing,” he said. “We haven’t had an incident
like this in three years.” B.C. Ferries said customers with reservations
on the cancelled sailings will be accommodated on the next available sailing.
Greyhound struggles as First's UK bus and rail divisions make marginal progress, but strike
action looming
The
summer has seen revenue at Greyhound fall by around 20%
First's US-based Greyhound long distance coach division expects to report a 20% fall in revenue for the
summer period according to an Interim Management Statement issued to the City this month. Meanwhile, the group's
UK bus and rail operations have seen revenue growth, albeit at a much slower rate than in previous years.
The
group has also warned that it will absorb a significant increase in its hedged fuel costs over the year which are set to recover
by over £100m in 2010/11.Like-for-like passenger revenue is expected to increase by 2.3% during the period at First's
UK bus division. The group says that action is being taken to protect revenue per mile and it is using "the flexible
operating model outside of London to match our services to any changing demand".
In North America First's contracted yellow school bus operation is performing well with
contract retention rates of around 90%, but the Greyhound division expects to see revenues fall by 20.3% during the period.
"We have taken action to protect revenue per mile by reducing services to match demand and removing surplus overheads,"
the group noted. "Management actions will further reduce the cost base, increase efficiencies while continuing to improve
customer service and on-time performance. Greyhound now has a stronger foundation on which to build and is well placed to
benefit from economic recovery in the future.
2,500
First UK bus staff could stage strike action over pay deal
Trade union Unite says that 2,500 members at FirstGroup are set to strike in a dispute over an imposed 0% pay deal.
Unite leaders say the strikes are set to go ahead as FirstGroup's national management refuses to allow local management
at its 19 subsidiaries to fund a pay rise for its employees.
The union is warning that
unless the company alters its aggressive negotiating position, these strikes could soon be followed by others across the company's
largest regions, meaning that thousands of bus services will be hit simultaneously. With strike ballots at First
South Yorkshire also announced last month, and a third ballot in First's Essex subsidiary last week returning a 95% vote
in favour of industrial action, the company now faces three simultaneous disputes with future strike action likely to be co-ordinated
across the three disputes.
Unite officials said "This is a company with a record £134m in annual profits
but it refuses a fair pay rise to those who earn this for them. Other companies in the same industry are settling at around
2.5%. "Forget the ending of the bonus culture, it's alive and well in First's boardroom.
At the beginning of 2009, First management confirmed a 15% bonanza for shareholders for each of the last five years, funding
this by slashing jobs, wages and terms and conditions. Enough is enough. Bus workers are only asking for a fraction of what
the fat cat executives have given themselves so that they can support their families and keep pace with the cost of living."
Cheryl Trudell, Duncan : Friday, October
02, 2009
Following the success of the
transit run from Duncan to Victoria, the time is right for a bus route that travels directly
from Duncan to the Vancouver Island University campus in Nanaimo. If the seats cannot be filled by Duncanites alone, then
incorporate three highway stops, Mill Bay, Chemainus, and Ladysmith.That's it -- limit the commute time. The service must be quick and easy, otherwise people will find their own vehicles more convenient. (And that's
the truth, however inconvenient it may be). One trip in the morning and returning in the late afternoon. While attending university,
why not also learn how to work together and conserve energy resources...and if you are a business student: save money. What
say you? Can this be done? How can we make this happen?
Harbour City Star : Friday, October 02, 2009
Plans to place a $2.07-million cement divider in the middle of a dangerous one-kilometre stretch
of Highway 1 in Cassidy is being greeted with enthusiasm by local residents. Ken
Dixon, leading the charge for safety improvements on the section of highway that has claimed several lives in recent years,
said more can be done. Five people have died on the section of highway since 2005. In
December, Lukas Bekkers, 9, and his brother Cooper, 2, were killed in a seven-car crash in the area. In November, Courtenay's
Zachary Peardon, 17, died at the Spruston Road intersection when the van he was riding in was broadsided. In 2005, two employees
of the Juniper Cafe were killed in a crash while pulling onto the highway.Dixon and some of his neighbours collected 1,200
signatures demanding safety improvements be made on the highway and the province announced $80,000 in safety upgrades to the
Spruston Road and Highway 1 intersection in Cassidy earlier this year. The upgrades
included a flashing overhead beacon, a speed-reader board and additional lighting but Dixon said most of those who signed
the petition wanted a concrete divider installed as well. "This is great
news that's long overdue," Dixon said. "It's a shame two very young people died there last Christmas, on
top of numerous other deaths over the years, before decisions like this are finally made."
Harbour City Star : Friday, October 02, 2009
B.C. Ferries will proceed with plans to cut two evening sailings between Nanaimo and West Vancouver
in mid-October. The vessel will stay put for the 7 p.m. sailing from Departure
Bay and the 9 p.m. Horseshoe Bay trip weekdays, starting Oct. 14. With alternate
service available between Tsawwassen and Duke Point, B.C. Ferries says the change should only affect customer service minimally.
Customers who aren't sure are urged to check the Internet before travelling. The routes will be reinstated for Christmas
and during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The decision to make the cut was announced without notifying the B.C. Ferry
and Marine Workers in June but any issues around that have since been sorted out.
B.C. Ferries cannot say how much will be saved by the changeover, which takes effect in two weeks.
Oceanside Star : Thursday, October 01, 2009
Kim Hancock of Coombs says :
The bussing issue will not go away.
The school board should have started from this point of reference: How can we bus as many children as we can and stay inside
our $1.85 million budget? Not: How many children can we eliminate riding on the busses to stay inside our $1.85-million budget?
The plan should have been phased in starting with trimming waste on the routes eliminating back
tracking and needless driving, thus saving on fuel, kilometres driven, wear and tear on our fleet and bus driver wages. One
example of a time-saver would be not following routes where there are no children who need the bus.
I think we need to outsource for this expertise via a routing specialist from Coast Mountain Bus
Co or BC Transit. They would have this expertise in their service planners. This specialist would work with our transportation
manager creating waste-free routes that accommodate the needs of our children and community.
We need a school board open to ideas from the community, putting our children's safety first and their ability
to access the best education available in our district second. A bus schedule
and collection points need to be flexible for safety, maximizing time and reflect the locations of the children using the
bus. Every year the collection points will have to be adjusted to accommodate the students who need and deserve safe transport
to make the most economic use of our fleet. One of the simplest ways to accommodate
more children would be to adjust the start times of Parksville Elementary and Springwood Middle schools. If these schools
started at 9:10 a.m. and finished at 3 p.m., French Immersion students attending those schools could be accommodated without
new busses in a mere 10 minutes of valuable bussing time. Transfer points that
need to be established to make cross-boundary bussing a reality: Kwalikum Secondary to Oceanside Middle to Ballenas Secondary
to Springwood Middle to Parksville Elementary. These routes could be done with one or two busses that have finished driving
their existing routes and one bus driving from Ballenas to Kwalikum; a bus already driving back to the bus garage. We have the busses to make this possible; we just do not have a school board willing to address
the needs of our community. I hope they take to heart the petition and concerns
of our community in addressing the bussing issue by agreeing to a process where we make it a priority to secure safe, effective
and sustainable bus service that does not discriminate against students in programs of choice. Together we CAN do this. Please join 428 others on Facebook: District 69 needs school buses NOW! with your comments, concerns
or questions. Or e-mail getonthebussd69@gmail.com and ask to be put on the mailing list
PACIFIC COACH SUSPENDS COACH SERVICE
YVR Airport to/from Nanaimo
Pacific Coach Lines (PCL) has suspended its coach service between Nanaimo and YVR (Vancouver International Airport)
via Duke Point effective September 29, 2009. The route featured four daily departures, Thursday through Monday from Nanaimo
via Duke Point to YVR, and provided direct connections with Nanaimo Regional Transit in the Regional District of Nanaimo
at Transit Exchanges. Tom Choe, Vice President, Operations &
Planning, Pacific Coach, stated “…it should be recognized that PCL is always attempting to connect our communities
closer together..”. The decision to suspend operations was based on the current economic climate where business and
leisure traffic levels cannot sustain this direct coach service between Nanaimo and YVR Airport. PCL wishes to recognize the outstanding partnership of B.C. Ferries and the Regional District
of Nanaimo and the support of the tourism communities in Nanaimo, Parksville & Qualicum and Tofino Bus.
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