bc ferries and motos

[04klr]

has anyone taken a bike on the ferry from horseshoe to departure or other route lately? what are the actual rules? rumor has it that motos need to be a full hour ahead of the scheduled sailing and less than a hour before there is a strong likelyhood that the sailing will be missed, yes , no? and a mask must be worn also i thimk.

thx for the info

 

[offworlder]

I've avoided ferries for some time, but the rules as they used to be (may still be) are bikes are first on/first off.
Here's the related bits from the FAQ:

Q: Do you handle motorcycles differently from other vehicles?
A: Yes. Here are some things you should know:

• The motorcycle fare is up to 50% less than a standard vehicle, on most routes
• Motorcyclists may be directed to the front of a lane, by the ticket agent, if the loading process has not already started. This procedure assists staff in placing motorcycles into spaces at the front of the ship where standard vehicles do not fit
• Depending on the vessel and terminal, motorcyclists may be boarded at the very end of the loading process, taking into consideration the order customers arrived
• Motorcycles with trailers, motorcycles with side cars, motorcycles or vehicles with three or more wheels and motorcycle groups will generally not be sent to the front of the lane. These vehicles displace standard vehicles, and do not fit into smaller spaces at the front or rear of the ship. Depending on the terminal these customers may be sent to a separate lane for the convenience of the loading officer and tower staff, to assist with the loading process
• Motorcycle reservations are currently available and recommended for the Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands route, Port Hardy-Prince Rupert, Prince Rupert-Skidegate, Port Hardy or Prince Rupert to our mid-coast destinations. On all other routes motorcycle reservations are not currently available, with the exception of group bookings. It is recommended to bring tie downs for northern travel.
• We operate under the principle of first come first serve and may deviate from this if a motorcycle/trike does not displace other vehicles by the space they occupy onboard.

 

[leebob]

Quote from a post on a different venue:
Finally got a call back from BC Ferries. There policy with motorcycles was explained to me as follows. If a motorcycle goes through the booth an hour before boarding it will be put in front of the boat . If a motorcycle goes through the booth less than an hour before boarding it MAY be allowed to board at the rear of the ferry if there is sufficient space. This is really up to those in charge of boarding vehicles so its not a guaranteed boarding. General consensuses is that Tswassen is more favorable to loading bikes on the rear of the ferry. With that being said reservations are only useful if you plan on getting there at a precise time just before ferry boards.

 

[04klr]

thx for the cut/paste from the site,, and for the reference to the call back from BC Ferries. I was hoping to hear from an actual rider on one of the boats as sometimes what is stated from or on a site is not what may actually happen hence was hoping to hear from a rider/passenger.
thx tho.

 

[04klr]

As a follow up to my own question.
I arrived way early for the 3:55 boat on Sat. Early enough in fact to make the 1:55 boat after arriving at the terminal at just past 1:35 Breezed thru the terminal and into the moto line and was in fact the first to board the ship. So. Arriving an hour minimum ahead of sailing time is bs as I was barely minutes ahead of the sailing. Masks are though required when in the terminal and on the boat. Today for me it really was first on and offa the boat. Who hoo!

 

[Bushpig Performance]

Hi all!
Well I can speak from first hand experience as we did a Sunshine Coast trip this week-end (4 ferry crossings).
I've been to the Island a few times as well over the years.

As much as I could complain about BC ferry like many people when going with the car, taking the ferries on your bike is really a breeze!
We were a group of 5 or 2 and would always be told to go to the very front, first to load, first to offload, all personnel very friendly with us.
Crossing for the island we even showed up 5min before departure they made us load at the very back last minutes.

Planning a trip involving the ferry is really not to avoid, it's cheap and a no-brainer.
As of recently, yes, make sure you have a "face covering fabric" when on properties (parking, deck, inside).
A real mask or simply your neck tube works well.

 

[Toddler]

I live on the island and before COVID I was on the ferry a lot, often with a bike. In general here’s what I have found, if you arrive before they start loading the ferry you’re pretty much guaranteed to get loaded first with the rest of the bikes. If you arrive after they have started loading you’re at the mercy of those in control, usually someone in the tower. If you‘re lucky they’ll load you last but if it‘s a busy time (Friday of a long weekend) they may make you wait until the next boat. Keep In mind that the person who make the ultimate decision is not the person who is going to tell you “you’re on the next one” so don’t take it out on them because at the last minute they may have just enough room for you and then that person could become your best friend when they radio up “Let’s put this one bike on the back......”