If you think the Queen of Capilano has been running behind schedule more often this summer, you’re right.
From August 1 to 16, the ferry between Horseshoe Bay and Bowen Island was on time for 60.4 per cent of the trips. During the same time period last year, it was on time 70.3 per cent, says Deborah Marshall, director of media relations for BC Ferries.
It had a much better on-time rate in July: 72.1 per cent. But that’s still off from July 2014 when the rate was 76.6 per cent.
This is the first summer that the Queen of Capilano is running with its extra vehicle capacity. After a long retrofit, she returned to work in May with an extra level of parking, one ramp on each side of the ferry.
Although recent statistics aren’t available, vehicle traffic in June was up 7.5 per cent while the number of foot passengers rose by 5.8 per cent that month.
More vehicles on the ferry translates into more time spent loading and unloading them.
Increased capacity and ridership haven’t been the only factor in the longer load-and-unload performance.
BC Ferries added an additional summertime ferry to both its Langdale and Nanaimo routes. That means there are six ships competing for three berths at Horseshoe Bay, with the smaller Queen of Capilano often getting the short end of the waiting stick.
There’s also been a problem with the right angle drive unit, which is slated to be fixed overnight on Saturday.*
“We know customers are concerned and we are as well,” says Marshall, who adds you can’t look at any one factor in isolation.
BC Ferries will be releasing its first-quarter results on Friday and will talk over the results with Bowen Island’s ferry advisory committee in the fall.
* After the last run on Saturday night, the Queen of Capilano will head to the Vancouver shipyards for overnight repair. The Bowen Queen will be put into service for the first two runs on Sunday morning so there is no disruption of service.
