With the impending termination of , base officials are exploring alternative solutions that could pick up where the shuttle leaves off.
Two Greater Victoria companies have approached the base about providing a private, user-pay cross-harbour ferry that would carry military and civilian defence personnel between Colwood and Esquimalt.
B次元官网网址淭hey have to look at the numbers, the timings, the cost for them to run a vessel and man the vessel. Basically, from a private enterprise perspective, it would all be about whether the service could generate a profit for them or not,B次元官网网址� said navy Capt. Craig Baines, commander of CFB Esquimalt. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really excited.B次元官网网址�
The Blue Boat service saw daily ridership of close to 400 people when two boats were on duty. That has dropped by 35 per cent since mid-January when one of the vessels was removed for maintenance.
Baines said he canB次元官网网址檛 budge on his decision to cancel the service. The number of civilian personnel who operate the boats is declining, largely due to attrition, and those remaining are needed to operate the baseB次元官网网址檚 tugs and barges, for example. B次元官网网址淭here is zero discretion. Even stretching (the ferry service) to April 30 is having an impact on our folks, because itB次元官网网址檚 difficult for them to take leave.B次元官网网址�
The base will also offer the use of two vacant parcels of federal land in Colwood if B.C. Transit or a private bus company want to offer a park B次元官网网址榥 ride busing service. There is space for between 350 and 500 vehicles.
But B.C. Transit officials say there is no money in the 2012 budget to extend the No. 25 bus route to that pick-up spot, or commit $200,000 a year to put an extra public transit bus on the road to transport defence personnel from that location.
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 know how many (Blue Boat users) will become (bus) riders,B次元官网网址� said Meribeth Burton of B.C. Transit. B次元官网网址淲e hope that itB次元官网网址檚 a majority of them, but itB次元官网网址檚 a risk that weB次元官网网址檙e not ready to assume at this time.B次元官网网址�
Given that Treasury Board regulations prevent public funds from being spent on transporting federal employees to and from work, the base canB次元官网网址檛 shell out any money to help B.C. Transit or hire more employees to keep the Blue Boat shuttle going.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 do it,B次元官网网址� Baines said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 be breaking the law.B次元官网网址�
That is why he is trying to create opportunities for alternative transportation options.
The base plans to launch a new carpool matching service on May 1 to connect defence commuters. Those who use the service and carpool together will be B次元官网网址渁ssigned better parking spotsB次元官网网址� at the base, Baines said.
emccracken@vicnews.com
