A chaotic Easter long weekend of delays and mechanical issues for BC Ferries continues Monday.
“The service is usually reliable but occasionally, and spectacularly, not,” said local author Marion McKinnon Crook, while waiting for a ferry.
Crook’s sentiment seems to be generally shared by commuters at Swartz Bay after mechanical issues and cancellations hampered many Easter long weekend plans.
“So we had to abandon the car, two people from our party, and a dog to make sure that we were able to get to the Mainland in time for her flight,”explained traveller Marianne Vanderlip, who described her change of plans as “one big adventure.”
Harman Bhangu, the MLA for Langley Abbotsford and BC Conservative critic for transportation and transit, took to social media to say BC ferries had missed the mark the same way they did last year.
“They know it’s going to be one of the busiest travel times of the year, clearly they did not learn from their mistakes,” said Bhangu.
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B.C. Ferries Senior Communications Advisor Ceilidh Marlow says the week of disruptions underscores the challenges of operating an aging fleet.
“I think this is probably the most intense example we’ve seen in a while of what it’s like for us to be operating so many vessels on our major routes that are reaching the end of their operational lifespan,” said Marlow.
As of Monday morning, the latest mechanical issue is affecting the 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. sailings from Duke Point and the 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. sailings from Tsawwassen.
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