BC Ferries has provided further details about its plans to make reservations mandatory on the Horseshoe Bay-to-Departure Bay ferry.
The ferry corporation previously announced that travellers taking their vehicles from West Vancouver to Nanaimo will be required to make a reservation starting in the fall due to construction at Horseshoe Bay terminal.
In a press release, BC Ferries said that all customers who take their vehicle, including motorcycles, on ferries on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay route "will be required to book and pay in advance, before arriving at the terminal."
Mandatory bookings only apply to the West Van to Nanaimo route, and not vice-versa, and the intention is to "keep customers moving and maintain safety through the multi-year construction program at the terminal, where vehicle staging space will be reduced by 25 per cent," BC Ferries said.
As a result, drive-up and reservation-only fares won't be offered on the route, the release said, with only pre-paid and saver fares available.
Work at the terminal will consist of decommissioning elevated structures and the traffic control tower. Space will continue to be reserved on ferries for emergency vehicles and medical-assured loading customers.
BC Ferries expressed a hope that customers will be understanding, given the limited space at the terminal.
“By requiring advance bookings, we’re giving customers more certainty and a better chance of securing their spot, especially as space becomes even tighter during construction," said Melanie Lucia, BC Ferries' vice-president of customer experience. "It also helps our crews manage the terminal more smoothly and safely, so they can focus on getting everyone where they need to go."
Should sailings be full, sailings from Tsawwassen to Duke Point will remain an option.
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