Ferry fares to increase by 20 per cent and more -- unless government intervenes government, increase, unless, better, 2011

Lik

http://communities.canada.com/va ... fare-increases.aspx

Ferry fares to increase by 20 per cent and more -- unless government intervenes
By VAUGHN PALMER 4 FEB 2011 COMMENTS(15) VIEW FROM THE LEDGE

B.C. Ferries are headed for hefty  fare increases over the next four years -- up to 20 per cent on the major routes, 50 per cent on the minor ones, better than doubling in the north -- unless the provincial government agrees to reduce service levels or increase the annual subsidy to the ferries.

So says ferries CEO David Hahn, extrapolating from submissions from the ferry corporation now being reviewed by the independent ferry commissioner.

The commissioner will issue a preliminary finding on the submissions at the end of March, giving his reading of the increases that will be necessary to keep the ferry books in balance and maintain current operations and service levels.

The ball is then in the government court, to either accept the increases, waive  contracted service levels on some routes, or boost the annual subsidy for the ferries beyond the current roughly $150 million.

Hahn reckons that a $25 million would be necessary to  scale back the increases to a more easy to digest level for ferry travellers.
[full article at above link]

快樂牛郎

and who do you blame for this? (I bet you will blame the Canadian gov)

Lik

WTF, man?! As if the ferries weren't expensive enough already?

To reduce costs, I think a couple of things can be done:

1) reduce service levels on regular days. The last couple of times when I was on the ferries (fairly recently, I might add), the ferries were only about 40 - 70% full. (The 70% full ferry was the 2nd last sailing from Swartz Bay back to Tssawassen.) Fewer sailings would automatically mean lower operating costs. We don't need and can't afford hourly sailings when ridership doesn't even meet the 50% mark.

2) the salary levels need to be kept in check.

3) those damn executives need to take a pay cut. Don't give me the "can't attract talent" crap because those damn executives clearly have no talent when they can't keep costs in check.

-Lik

快樂牛郎

I agree with the pay cut, but inflation is here for real.  Everything is going up in prices but of course a 20% hike is way too much.

And there's only one party to blame for this and it's not the Canadian gov

快樂牛郎

Funny how Hitler was charged with all these crimes but the damages Obama and the Fed have done to the rest of the world are significantly worse.

Lik

I agree with the pay cut, but inflation is here for real.  Everything is going up in prices but course a 20% hike is way too much.
快樂牛郎 發表於 2011-2-4 12:25

And the the rural routes it's a 50% hike.

Many are saying that the pay levels for ferry employees are far too high. Some say that the hourly wage of the traffic control folks at the terminal and on the ferries are $24+/hr?

Wages should be dependent on the society's standard of living and the level of skill the job requires. It makes no sense to pay someone $30 when it is only a $20 job.

-Lik

快樂牛郎

It makes no sense to pay someone $30 when it is only a $20 job.

Lik 發表於 2011/2/4 13:12

how to tell if a job is a  $30 job or a $20 job

so for those low wage workers in HK
does it make sense to pay them 30 hkd an hour when lots of ppl are willing to do it for 20 hkd

Lik

As I said in the previous post, salary needs to take into account the society's standard of living into consideration. When you can barely survive working 16 hours a day, 6 days a week, something is wrong with the pay level. That "something wrong" is HKD$20/hr.

Unfortunately, a portion of Chinese folks are naturally 犯賤, and have the tendency to undercut their competitors, even if it means they will be suffering a loss. That is to say, some Chinese folks are 犯賤 because they are willing to do a $30 job for $20 if it means they will get that $20 instead having the other person make $30.

-Lik

Look4chrisng

As I said in the previous post, salary needs to take into account the society's standard of living i ...
Lik 發表於 2011-2-4 13:29

There is very true.   I saw an Chinese adv for hiring a foot massager.  The company prefers someone with surgical experience.

Look4chrisng

by the way, what so big deal about ferry fares.  I have given up on vacationing in the island altogether.  It is already way too expensive if you take to car without fare hike.

But skytrain is pissing me off.

Last 2 yr skytrain fares went up 20%.  Everyone seems ok? and no one complaint?