Let's talk fucked up ferries

[johnsmit]

I travel the ferries almost 6 days a week back and forth.
And this resent refit that was done in Poland is a joke.
They how many 10s of millions on this and they can't even get resent crappers or urinals in the lavatories.
On the spirit 6 of 8 urinals have been broke. For weeks and a few crappers are all ready removed.
Have to order them from Poland because they warranty them .
They are a piece of crap literly. And they are very small like what you would get in a trailer or boat.
They could of easily put full size toilets in at $300 a piece instead of this other shit which I bet cost a few thousand each, or are billed out at that..but some one got kick backs from supplying those crappers and urinal.

On to of that food prices have just kept going up about a $1 more the last 3 months.

If you need the ferries your held hostage because there is no other option.

 

[E.H.]

I avoid the B.C.Ferries like the plague,during the Holiday Season.
That's because they are a plague of seasonal pneumonias,urine puddling out of the washroom floor and into the carpeted hallway.
Such a bogus drag.
Staying home is my Christmas Gift.

Engelbert Humperdink

 

[Addison Cortez]

That’s shitty. I haven’t needed the island ferries in ages but will be soon.

 

[80watts]

The toilets use vacuum to suck the shit out of the toilets; its not gravity fed like your household toilets. There fore its not likely they buy it off the shelf at home depot...

Write a complaint to the BC Ferry's Corporation. Also check with transport Canada.

Next time take a picture of the broken heads and urinals and put online and send to bc ferries, they really need motivation to keep things clean and repaired.

Doesn't excuse people from breaking things. Flushing paper towel down the toilets when they are not allowed. And there are those idiots that do that just on purpose.

Won't surprise me if they put video cameras in bathrooms to find those culprits.....

 

[ReluctantPooner]

I love taking the ferries - even love spending time at the terminals (especially Tsawassen where there are shops, cafes, and food services). On the Spirit of BC which was recently refit (they will be doing Spirt of VI soon) I have seen the broken toilets. Don't know what caused that so I won't comment. The new café/coffee shop they built upstairs is nice, but they are trying to run it like a Starbucks with not enough staff. My last trip on my way back to the mainland there was a long line with just 2 of them. The one running the till not only would have to pour and serve the drip coffee and food items, but he would also help with the fancier latte's and whatnot. Took forever. Needs at least 3 people but at the wages ferry employees get its not financially viable. The old café we poured our own and they just rang it in.

 

[PuntMeister]

I caused the plug.

Flushed a condom full of man-goo.

Sorry.

Suggestion: Shut the lid before flushing.

 

[johnsmit]

Yes I know the toilets are vacuum. And that does have its problems also. But in one stall the toilets is gone , it broke .But the toilets and urinals look cheap , like I said ,like stuff from a trailer. And they are too small to site on
I can't imagine 250 lb person during one of these toilets .

Not exactly sure why they have to be vacuum. There is plenty of fall for a gravity system. And seldom do the ferry get that rough that the toilets would slosh.
It just seem that on board they think it needs to be different and expensive . .

I am pretty sure there lots of complains coming in.
Andi have heard that with out properly functioning wash rooms they are controvining transport Canada safety rules.
Of course they get a pass because they can't take the ferrybour of service right now .they are short one.

 

[Vpete]

I hate BC ferries with the passion of a 1000 burning suns. The worst run .org in history of organizations. If an airline, who has a monopoly was run that way they would be out of business. My list of issues grows everyday and I don’t even live in the province anymore!

I am scarred from years of ineptitude and probably need therapy. It is one company that needs to be shut down and rebooted.

 

[Bridge]

Instead of raising fares I wonder if BC Ferries could try and generate new revenue streams like having a bar onboard?

 

[jgg]

Instead of raising fares I wonder if BC Ferries could try and generate new revenue streams like having a bar onboard?

Likely not a good idea, too many accidents on the car deck and disembarking.

 

[Abbott_]

I travel the ferries almost 6 days a week back and forth ...

If you need the ferries your held hostage because there is no other option.

Wondering what it's like to work there. :faint2:

.

 

[ddcanz]

I travel the ferries almost 6 days a week back and forth.

You travel Swartz Bay- Tsawwassen return 5-6 times a week on average?
Footie or car?

 

[rlock]

I like the ferries, but the last government was trying to neglect it to death. Jury's still out on what this one does.

 

[johnsmit]

I usually am a drive on.
I transport cars
Another another thing that has change for everyone .
They now are selling 75 to 80 % reservation ,so if you don't have one you better be there at 520 in the morning and a good 1 and 30 min be for your sailing during the day
This summer was just mad with one and two sailing waits even those they had a sailing each hour.

They want everyone to make reservation at an extra fee of course .another way to increase ferry fees by $10 to $18 .
They give a sienor discount Monday to Thursday but then get it back on reservation fees.

I would what ever happened to the fact that the ferries are an retention of the highway system and our right to have reasonable assess to freedom of travel..it costs close to $200 for a couple to come and go from the island .

 

[ddcanz]

The ferry system keeps the Capital Regional District from being a Lower Mainland suburb. Just my perspective.

Absolutely. A tolled bridge connection would definitely aid in getting back and forth, but the impact to Van Isle would be incredible.
You think property value in Vic is high now? See what a bridge would do to it.
Let alone the impact to the southern Gulf Islands, where any bridge project would ultimately step through. Those hippies would lose their shit!

 

[Lets Review]

Speaking of Gulf Island hippies, I visit my off-grid, vegan, composting toilet friends every year, and end up looking forward to a nice flushing toilet and strong coffee on that return ferry. Those heads look like a palace compared to sitting on a bucket in the woods.

 

[badbadboy]

Absolutely. A tolled bridge connection would definitely aid in getting back and forth, but the impact to Van Isle would be incredible.
You think property value in Vic is high now? See what a bridge would do to it.
Let alone the impact to the southern Gulf Islands, where any bridge project would ultimately step through. Those hippies would lose their shit!

It's pie in the sky thinking from decades ago with Dr Pat McGeer proposal to build a causeway from the mainland to Van Isle. The hurdles to get everyone on board are next to impossible. Cost per crossing per vehicle or truck would be obscene roughly proposed at $500+ one way! The tree huggers would get every Kennedy and other Sierra Club member to rally against it.

Then there is the cost and exactly who would pay for it. Many would say well, PEI got a nice bridge paid for by the Federal Govt why can't we also get a fixed link paid for by all of Canada. The have vs have nots issue will be a huge debate in Ottawa, let alone in BC Legislature.

https://www.bcbusiness.ca/fixed-link-idea-gets-a-brief-new-lifeagain

On a side note, just wondering of those who are disgusted with BC Ferries; have you used Ferries of similar length of journey elsewhere in the world and how would BC ferries stack up against them?

I'm sure many have been on Washington State ferries. I don't even consider them to be in the same league in terms of vessels or more importantly the size of network that BC Ferries has to offer to all people in BC.

There are ferry networks in the Mississippi River area but I personally haven't used one.

Europe has some interesting ferry systems ranging from Denmark across to Sweden and other Baltic countries. There used to be a direct overnight ferry from the UK to Denmark which was like a first class version of BC Ferries. I used it a few times while in the UK for extended periods. Sadly, it was closed in 2014. Not sure of the reason but probably was the low cost of flights and networks of trains in Europe made it unnecessary to use a large overnight ferry.

 

[steiln]

build that bridge!!

 

[Abbott_]

What are they posting on the West Coast Ferries Forum ?

http://ferriesbc.proboards.com/thread/9196/ferries-busy

 

[Claire Monet]

Float planes!! Love 'em! Especially when I get to play co-pilot and play with the gadgets and thing-a-ma-jiggers.