A commentary by a Victoria resident who has run, served on the board, and mentored local companies over the past 40 years.
The number of ferry cancellations through staff issues and maintenance issues would suggest that that the corporation is going through a time of crisis management and that the board should take a longer view of how we can solve the issues for once and for all.
A lot of the problems have been caused by unnecessary complexities.
A successful airline has only a few types of planes. This simplifies staff training and maintenance and allows them to stockpile spare parts.
B.C. Ferries special orders small groups of unique vessels. Each time they do it there is a massive design build exercise that is costly and time consuming.
As ridership increases, they build larger and more complicated ships that require new docks, specialized crew training and the risk of another fast ferry fiasco.
My guess is that the public would rather have smaller ships if it meant hourly service in the winter and more often in the summer. Smaller vessels are more conducive to extra sailings for concerts, sporting events and peak holiday times.
We all want the ferry system to be efficient and not pay more than we have to. It would make sense to simplify the ships and the process so they can be built locally.
Airlines buy a few planes with options to buy more of the same type as demand dictates. A similar process would allow B.C. Ferries to add additional ships as needed in half the time at a lower cost.
There might never be a bridge all the way to Vancouver. A highway that could take us halfway there would more than double the fleet as the ferry to Vancouver would take half as long and any island connected by highway would no longer require ferry service.
As our population increases we will need an alternative to the Malahat Highway. It may not be in my lifetime but it should be a long-term consideration in the evolution of our transportation systems.
The need for reliable wifi increases with each year. If it was available it significantly increases the options for the buffet space.
User-pay work stations or streaming services could potentially be offered by a third party at no cost to the ferry system. The best way to find out is by a request for proposals.
By encouraging strategic partnerships, B.C. Ferries has the opportunity to lead the industry instead of playing catchup every time the needs of the public change.
I have mentored startups in Victoria that have contracts on innovative products that are used all over the world.
Some have said it is hard to get local governments to work with them.
If we want our ferry system to get better we need to encourage new ideas from our best and brightest that can change it for the better.
