Just last week, our new Minister of Transportation pledged that the NDP’s election promises of a 15% reduction in fares on minor routes, a fare freeze on the major routes and a return to free travel for BC Seniors on Mondays to Thursdays would all be honoured “in the next few weeks”. But it seems that pledge may take longer to deliver, and it could easily be early 2018 before those price cuts can be realised.

Ferry fares are regulated by the BC Ferry Commissioner acting (we’re told) independently of the BC Government and BC Ferries. At four year intervals, the Commissioner determines the maximum level of fare increase that BC Ferries can charge in order to bridge any anticipated gap between costs and revenues.  After many years of above-inflation increases, the price cap (the maximum permitted increase) was set in 2016 at 1.9% annually from 2016 until 2019.

That figure will have been based on a range of assumptions about operating costs, funding for new ferries and changes in expected traffic levels. But perhaps the most unpredictable factor is fuel prices, so at the start of each four-year period, the Ferry Commissioner determines a baseline cost per litre for fuel and as prices fluctuate, any underspend or overspend is banked in a regulated fund known as the Fuel Deferral Account.  If fuel prices rise above the set level, the deferral account goes into deficit until such time as prices come down below the set price to sufficiently burn off the debt. If that looks unlikely, BC Ferries will apply a surcharge on fares to bring the deficit down.

The opposite is also true. If fuel prices stay below the set price for a long period, a credit builds up in the deferral account to be used either to shield against future high prices, or it is returned to customers as a fuel rebate on fares.  That’s good news for customers, and since 2015 we have been enjoying rebates of 1% – increasing to 2.9% from April 2016.

These rebates have reduced the credit balance in the deferral account from its $6 million ‘high’ at the start of 2016 and have continued to drain the deferral account despite the acccount returning to zero by the Fall. Since then, the account has been sliding further into deficit as fuel prices have crept up but the rebates to customers have continued.

How long can this go on? Well, it’s entirely possible that BC Ferries was told not to “rock the boat” by ditching the fare rebate ahead of the provincial election. But now they are surely heading to the point where they will be told that the 2.9% rebate must go – and if bulk fuel prices continue to rise it’s entirely possible we could be seeing a fuel surcharge in its place sometime soon.

So, that good news from the NDP could be pre-empted by the 2.9% rebate on fares disappearing first, meaning the fares we pay could go up before their election commitment kicks in.  What cannot be reversed is the decision in April to cancel any fare increase in 2017. That decision stands, and the price cap for 2018 and 2019 remains at 1.9% each year. So, will the NDP wait until that 1.9% fare increase is due to kick in next April before delivering their promised fare cut? Only time will tell.

After one of the busiest days of the year this Thursday, it’s amazing to see how much easier it is to get on the ferry on a Friday! At 11.15 yesterday, the line-up was right back to the campground. Today it didn’t even reach the overload sign.

Too bad the half fare discount for seniors doesn’t apply on Fridays – it’s the one day of the week that there’s space on most ferries leaving the island. And no overloads means fewer delays too.

It really does pay to leave your trip into town until Friday at this time of the year. Or Saturday. Just look at how much more space there is!

If the ferry line-ups are anything to go by, we’re in for a bumper summer here on Gabriola.  Last year was busy enough, but early signs are that ferry traffic could be another 5% up on last summer – with much of that extra traffic trying to squeeze onto ferries that are already bursting at the seams.

For residents, businesses and visitors alike this brings with it the frustration of long waits and progressive delays to the ferry as the crews do their best to fill every last inch of deckspace.  So, with some important updates since we last published this post, here are some hints to make queueing for the ferry on Gabriola safer and less stressful for everyone:

1. The ferry line-up starts opposite the Skol pub on North Road and extends up the hill, then round the corner into Taylor Bay Road. If you’re first in line, please stop behind the hatched area and leave this space clear for emergency vehicles and those medical patients who have been issued an authorisation for priority boarding. (note that the “Stop” sign will be moved soon to the start of the hatched area)
2. The ferry has space for about 70 vehicles (fewer if there are large trucks or trailers on board) and a sign on Taylor Bay Road indicates the point at which that capacity may be reached and you may find yourself waiting for the next ferry. The position of the sign assumes that there will be no gaps in the ferry line-up.
3. When you join the line-up, please park close to the vehicle in front of you – don’t leave a large gap, as that will make the line-up longer for everyone. Sunshine or Shade – please park within 1 metre of the vehicle in front. If it’s hot, open your windows or take a walk! Dog owners should take their pets (on a leash) and find some shade for them.
4. At the junction with Taylor Bay Road, the new road construction has removed the steepest part of the hill, so please don’t leave gaps there any more.  Take extra care here if you get out of your car, the road shoulder drops away steeply!
5. Large trucks may wait in the oversize vehicle bay on North Road. If they arrived before you, please let them into the line-up when the ferry starts loading.
6. Once the line-up extends into Taylor Bay Road, please use the turning bay on the right to join the line-up. Don’t U-turn on the highway – and don’t block the turning bay.
7. If the line-up extends beyond the turning bay, please follow the signs to the next U-turn point at the junction with Ivory Way. U-turns along Taylor Bay Road are dangerous and you may cause an accident if you ignore the warning signs. RCMP Officers regularly patrol this section of road and may issue violation tickets to drivers making illegal U-turns.
8. If the line-up reaches the narrow bridge at Mallett Creek, please observe the “No stopping on pavement” signs and don’t park on the bridge.
9. On exceptionally busy days, the line-up can extend as far as Ivory Way. If it does, don’t block the turning bay (or the entrance to the campground) – go down Ivory Way to the turning point and join the line-up in Ivory Way. Don’t queue on Taylor Bay Road beyond the campground.
10. Stay safe and remember the five golden rules:

• Don’t leave gaps in the line-up
• Don’t let your engine idle for long periods
• Don’t U-turn on the highway, you may cause an accident
• Don’t open your doors without checking for passing traffic – and bikes
• Don’t stand in the roadway for that chat – stand away from the traffic!

Remember also that ferries from Gabriola are always busiest during the morning – if you can, leave your journey until later in the day when ferries are less busy. Check out our Best Times to Travel page for a handy guide to which ferries are likely to be full. If you don’t need to take your car, don’t! Think transit; think Gertie

If you (or your visitors) are looking for the Gabriola ferry schedule – don’t look for it in the June 29 Nanaimo News Bulletin. The ferry schedule published in BC Ferries’ ad on page A34 contains multiple errors.

The 1.50pm from Gabriola and 2.25pm from Nanaimo are shown incorrectly as not operating Saturdays or Sundays – which they do now, every weekend until September 3.

Several ferries are missing from the evening schedule – with the 6.40pm and 9.30pm sailings from Gabriola not shown, nor the 7.15pm and 10pm (except Wed) sailings from Nanaimo.

The correct schedule for the summer season can be found here or on the BC Ferries website

The extra early afternoon sailings on Saturdays and Sundays start up again this Saturday (July 1) and run each Saturday and Sunday through until September 3.

The extra ferry leaves Gabriola at 1.50pm on Saturdays and Sundays, returning from Nanaimo at 2.25pm (matching the weekday schedule).

This is the second year of a two-year pilot agreed by BC Ferries following a request from the Ferry Advisory Committee.  Results from 2016 demonstrated that the reinstatement of these sailings generated extra traffic at weekends and the FAC is hopeful that the pilot project will be made permanent each summer after 2017.

The FAC Spring meeting with BC Ferries takes place on Monday April 24, starting at 3pm, with a new venue – upstairs at Gabriola Commons, 675 North Road.

Members of the public are invited to attend this meeting, but are reminded that this is NOT an open house session. You will be welcome to speak on a particular topic, but please contact the Chair by email  at gabriola.fac@gmail.com ahead of the meeting. We will try and ensure that time is available for anyone who wishes to speak.

The agenda for Monday’s meeting can be downloaded here.

The FAC would like to thank all who have responded to our online survey to determine public opinion on the need for time limits for parking at Gabriola’s ferry terminal.  The survey has now closed and results will be announced at the forthcoming FAC meeting on April 24.

Analysis of the responses has uncovered one respondent who made a supreme effort to distort the outcome of the survey – either intentionally or otherwise – by submitting no less than 450 identical responses from the same computer.  Needless to say, these responses will be ignored in the analysis. So, if your IP address is 24.108.156.161 – thank you for your time and effort, but unfortunately only your first response will be taken into account.

John Hodgkins, FAC Chair.