Metro Vancouver & Interregional Passenger Ferry Service Discussion

[fredinno]

TBF, 75 min to Downtown on a single-seat trip is a pretty good deal if the ticket price is low enough.

Gibsons may end up becoming a suburb of Vancouver if they survive long enough.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by fredinno

TBF, 75 min to Downtown on a single-seat trip is a pretty good deal if the ticket price is low enough.

Gibsons may end up becoming a suburb of Vancouver if they survive long enough.

Are these the same guys with a from a few years ago? They were talking about $25-30 per trip.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Are these the same guys with a from a few years ago? They were talking about $25-30 per trip.

Are those prices one-way? If yes, that's about $1000 / month, maybe more. A pretty hefty price tag for a daily commuting job from Gibsons to downtown. Nice work if you can get it.

[WarrenC12]

Over under on how long this runs? 6 months IMO.

There's a chance it never even makes 1 run.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Over under on how long this runs? 6 months IMO.

There's a chance it never even makes 1 run.

The last one ran for 3 years with 1 crummy boat that broke down. This time around there are 2 nice new boats and stronger ownership. There’s a bigger population now and better transit connections on the Vancouver side. Over under should be at 3 years considering the last operators.

[logan5]

I hate going to Nanaimo mostly because of the ferry ride. Downtown to downtown is way less daunting, so I am far more likely to head there. I’m sure other people who have connections to Nanaimo feel the same way and would visit more often.

[mcj]

It would make a lot of sense for Evo and/or Modo to have one of their return car share stations on the Nanaimo side of this.

[fredinno]

If this is successful, it could be a precursor to a 'fixed-link' to the Sunshine Coast.

Maybe this sort of operation should be subsidized.
We used to have direct ferry connections from Downtown to the outlying islands of BC, and having direct transit connections (rather than taking a bus to the ferry terminals) has its uses and would likely spur demand.

To go from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons 1-way by foot costs ~$15.

Add the transit fare to that, and you're paying an extra $12-13 to save 15-20 min and take a single-seat ride.

You could probably get that to $20 if you had a subsidized ticket (like BC Ferries is), reducing the delta to $5.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Keeping in mind, of course, how the last (three? four?) downtown-to-downtown ferries have all crashed and burned.

Originally Posted by fredinno

If this is successful, it could be a precursor to a 'fixed-link' to the Sunshine Coast...

Already a thing as of Page 2 back in December... even fewer posters are optimistic about that one.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Keeping in mind, of course, how the last (three? four?) downtown-to-downtown ferries have all crashed and burned.



Already a thing as of Page 2 back in December... even fewer posters are optimistic about that one.

TBF, pretty sure BC Ferries would crash and burn without subsidies.

[Migrant_Coconut]

It's a service (hence twenty bucks per walk-on); this is a business. Doesn't really matter though, because so far a direct-route ferry's been far less economical than the existing terminals.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by fredinno

TBF, pretty sure BC Ferries would crash and burn without subsidies.

BC Ferries has mandated service levels, they're also owned by the province.

That's like saying any private bus service that pops up should be subsidized.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by fredinno

TBF, pretty sure BC Ferries would crash and burn without subsidies.

Yes but not the routes that go from Metro Vancouver to Victoria, those are money-making. It's the smaller routes that lose all the money.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by madog222

BC Ferries has mandated service levels, they're also owned by the province.

That's like saying any private bus service that pops up should be subsidized.

Well, people wanted Greyhound to be subsidized as well.

The difference is that TransLink has a much wider and better service network than BC Ferries that is already subsidized, so this service doesn't really provide a major benefit.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by logan5

I hate going to Nanaimo mostly because of the ferry ride. Downtown to downtown is way less daunting, so I am far more likely to head there. I’m sure other people who have connections to Nanaimo feel the same way and would visit more often.

I find the Horseshoe Bay Express (257) pretty convenient.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by mcj

It would make a lot of sense for Evo and/or Modo to have one of their return car share stations on the Nanaimo side of this.

I was thinking the same thing. EVO already has cars in Victoria... so perhaps if successful, Nanaimo is in the cards?

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

I was thinking the same thing. EVO already has cars in Victoria... so perhaps if successful, Nanaimo is in the cards?

Modo is there. Though three years ago they only had 200 members though and 5 cars.

https://modo.coop/how-it-works/our-fleet

[logan5]

Pricing for Hullo fast ferry service between Downtown Vancouver and Downtown Nanaimo has bee announced -


Fare Type (One-way) Infant Child Adult Senior

Comfort Free Seat $19.99 $39.99 $19.99

Premium $29.99 $29.99 $49.99 $49.99

Business $39.99 $39.99 $59.99 $59.99

Would have liked to see a monthly pass option. Maybe that will come later.

Website has more information.

https://hullo.com/?utm_source=Klaviy...v7r8%3D.RWYScA

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by logan5

Comfort Free Seat...

When I viewed your post the tabs didn't separate the various columns and I was really questioning the marketing genius who decided to call these "Comfort free" seats...

[madog222]

Originally Posted by logan5

Website has more information.

https://hullo.com/?utm_source=Klaviy...v7r8%3D.RWYScA

First sailing from Nanaimo is 6am, last sailing from Vancouver is 9:30pm during "special events and occasions".
All price classes include wifi.