BC Ferries the Wave Fall 2006

IN THIS ISSUE The Kuper Makes a Splash Page 2 • A Berth is Born at Swartz Bay Page 4 • Journey From Greece to the North Coast Page 6 • Behind the Scenes with the Customer Care Department Page 8 • Coastal Renaissance is on the Construction Line 0 • Power Play Savings for BC Ferries Employees! Page 13 • New Uniforms Are Here! Page 14 • A Meeting of the Minds Page 15 • Transas Training Page 18 • Morfitt Safety Review Page 18 • Happy Holidays Page 20

THE WAVEFALL 2006BC Ferries' Employee Newsletter

MEET THE KUPER!

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IN MEMORIAM

Marilyn Baker, former

BC Ferry Authority Board

Member, passed away on October

28 after a long battle with cancer.

Marilyn served as mayor of the

District of North Vancouver and

as president of the Union of

B.C. Municipalities and held the

positions of deputy chairwoman of

the Greater Vancouver Regional

District board of directors and

chairwoman of the District's

executive committee. Marilyn

served on our Board of Directors

from April 1, 2004 to March 31,

2005. We send our condolences

to Marilyn's family and her many

friends and colleagues.

Lillian Bullied passed away

on October 14, 2006. Lillian

joined BC Ferries in 1990 and

worked as a cleaner on the

Spirit of British Columbia until

her retirement earlier this year.

Lillian was held in high regard

by her colleagues and will be

deeply missed. We send our

condolences to Lillian’s family

and friends.

Derek James, retired Chief

Engineer, Mill Bay, passed away

on October 3, 2006, in Victoria.

Derek started with BC Ferries

in July 1974 and retired from

service in June 2001. Derek's

crew mates remember him as a

kind and helpful man with vast

marine engineering knowledge.

We send our condolences to

Derek’s family and friends.

THE KUPER MAKES A SPLASH

On Friday, November 3, at a ceremony at Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver, we officially named and launched the Kuper, the newest addition to our fleet. The $7 million, 32-vehicle ferry will enter service on the Chemainus – Thetis Island – Kuper Island route early next year following training, certification and sea trials. In the future, the Kuper will serve as a relief vessel on various gulf island routes.

The hull of the new vessel is comprised of the original structure from the John Atlantic Burr, which we purchased last year from the State of Utah Transportation Department. The sections of the original vessel were trucked to Tacoma, Washington, and then barged to Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver.

During the construction period, a new 11-foot wide longitudinal section was inserted into the hull to provide an additional lane on the car deck. Passenger and crew spaces were rebuilt, including washroom facilities for customers with disabilities, and new lifesaving equipment was installed, including two evacuation slides and a rescue boat. The wheelhouse, navigational equipment, piping and electrical system are also new. The vessel will be powered by two Detroit Diesel Allison engines driving two right angle drive propulsion units.

Special thanks to the construction team, including (from left to right) A.J. MacEachern, Senior Chief Engineer; Captain Bill Dickie, Senior Master, Thetis Island; Captain Ratch Wallace, Senior Master, Vessel Construction; and Kumar Murugakumar, Engineering Manager, Vessel Construction, for their hard work to bring the Kuper into service.

Preparing to launch the Kuper at Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver.

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WHAT’S IN A NAME?As part of the name selection process, we searched for words that begin with K, since the vessel is part of the K-class series and is the sister ship to BC Ferries' Klitsa and Kahloke and Albion's Klatawa and Kulleet. We selected Kuper after Kuper Island which is located in Stuart Channel in the Southern Gulf Islands. The island was named by British sailors in 1851 after they sailed through a group of five unnamed islands in the Strait of Georgia. They named the two largest Kuper and Thetis, after Captain Augustus Leopold Kuper R.N. (1809-1885) and his frigate, HMS Thetis, a 36-gun Royal Navy frigate on the Pacific Station between 1851 and 1853.

SEVEN SHIPS IN THREE YEARSWe’re adding seven new vessels to the fleet in the next three years, marking the largest capital expansion program in our company’s history. This major addition of new vessels will substantially enhance our overall customer experience by bringing state-of-the-art vessels to our major, minor and northern routes.

In addition to the Kuper, we’re adding:

Three new Super C-class double-ended vessels arriving in late 2007 and early to mid 2008

An intermediate size ferry under construction in North Vancouver arriving in summer 2008

A new vessel to replace the Queen of Prince Rupert arriving in spring 2009

A two-year old vessel, currently named the Sonia, to replace the Queen of the North

As part of our commitment to renewing our infrastructure, we will also invest more than $200 million in our terminals over the next five years to ensure operational reliability and enhanced customer amenities in order to be the safest and most progressive ferry transportation system in the world.

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IN MEMORIAM

Marilyn King passed away on

September 23, 2006. Marilyn

joined BC Ferries in 1985 and

worked as the Supervisor of

Building Service Workers at

Fleet House until her retirement

in April of 2003. We send our

condolences to Marilyn's family

and friends.

Barry McCoy passed away

on November 3, 2006. Barry

was a terminal attendant in

Departure Bay, having joined

BC Ferries on May 22, 1992.

Barry worked in Departure Bay,

Duke Point and Bear Cove in

many terminal and catering

classifications. We send our

condolences to Barry’s family

and friends.

James (Jim) Tubb passed away

on September 27, 2006. Jim

was a seasonal employee who

worked in Prince Rupert as a

shore cleaner in 2005 and as a

terminal attendant in 2006. Jim

leaves behind a son, a daughter

and several grandchildren. We

send our condolences to Jim’s

family and friends.


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A BERTH IS BORN AT SWARTZ BAYOn October 18, we officially opened our new state-of-the-art floating berth at Swartz Bay terminal. The $25 million project was undertaken to replace the outdated ramp and marine structures and bring a sophisticated new level of technology to the company’s berthing arrangements.

The improved design speeds up the loading and unloading process with fewer ramp adjustments, as the new ramp rises and falls with the tide. The berth is now able to accommodate a Spirit-class vessel and will also be able to service the Coastal Celebration, the new Super C-class vessel that will be sailing on the Swartz Bay – Tsawwassen route by the summer of 2008.

The 180-metre long concrete pontoon was built in North Vancouver by Vancouver Pile Driving before being towed to Swartz Bay. Ramsay Machine Works of Sidney, B.C., manufactured the

steel work, including the massive steel ramp. Hebden Engineering and Fraser Engineering were responsible for the design of the new facility with BC Ferries’ Terminal Maintenance department completing the entire electrical installation for the berth. Project Management was provided by Terminal Asset Management, a partnership between BC Ferries and SNC-Lavalin.

“In early October, my

husband and I boarded the

Spirit of British Columbia

with my brother-in-law and

sister-in-law. Upon reaching the

passenger deck, my brother-

in-law had a heart attack.

Cheryl Morgan, Hospitality

Cashier, was called to the scene

and arrived within seconds along

with Neil Hoekstra, Second

Steward. Cheryl immediately

cleared the scene and asked

the appropriate questions.

After administering ASA,

she determined that the ship

could not leave the dock, sent

the order to the captain and

ordered an ambulance. In the

meantime, Neil kept us apprised

of what steps were happening

and escorted us to the Seawest

Lounge. Cheryl then came back

to the lounge and made sure that

we had something to eat as this

would be a long day. During our

stay onboard, Cheryl checked on

us regularly and made at least

two phone calls to Delta hospital

to see how Earl was doing. This

was a very trying time for us

and Cheryl and Neil were very

caring and compassionate. We

cannot say enough good things

about our treatment. I think

Cheryl's quick thinking saved

my brother-in-law’s life. Cheryl

and Neil should be commended

for their excellent service and

BC Ferries should be proud

to have them as employees.”

-Delta

New line fenders are mounted and concrete pontoons positioned between Berths 2 and 3 at Swartz Bay. The hydraulic cylinders absorb vessel berthing energy, in lieu of the traditional rubber elements.

Terminal Attendants Chris Cowley (left) and Dennis Wilkinson prepared for the ribbon cutting ceremony and official opening of the new berth.


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“Please let Chris McDowell,

Customer Sales and

Service Representative, and

Carrie Watson, Customer

Relations, know how very

helpful and professional they

were in handling my issue with

a reservation. They went out of

their way to accommodate me due

to some very unforeseen medical

news regarding my mother.

Please convey my sincere thanks

to both these employees. They

were a pleasure to deal with.”

-Victoria

“My husband and I recently

travelled from Victoria to

Vancouver onboard BC Ferries.

Unfortunately, we both have

physical disabilities and were

somewhat apprehensive as to

how we would manage with so

much luggage. The employees

were absolutely wonderful to us,

even taking care of the bags

and seeing that they reached our

destination. On our return trip,

wheelchairs were waiting for us

at the ticket booth and a staff

member was there to assist us.

When we arrived in Victoria,

we were again helped with our

luggage and an employee in

the parking lot helped us into

a taxi and even saw that our

seatbelts were fastened! This

was surely red carpet treatment

that went beyond the call of duty

and we were so very thankful.”

-Brentwood Bay

The skill and expertise of electricians Doug Jordan, Ken Pollok and Will Paine were a vital component of the Berth 2 project.

David Carroll, Director, Terminal Construction; Aaron Hahn, Project Manager; Geoff Vickery, Director, Terminal Asset Management; and David Leather, Project Manager.

Customer Service Attendants Kathie Brubaker, Joy Frederiksen and Tammy West served up burgers and smiles.

Thanks to Jim Hadden, Dock Repairer; Brian Gordon, Labourer; Percy Johnson, Trades Supervisor; and John Thorneloe, Carpenter, for their hard work on this major project.


On October 19, we concluded a deal for a replacement vessel for the Queen of the North that will operate on the Inside Passage. The purchase price for the two-year old vessel was $49.3 million. The vessel, which has 70 state rooms and 4 suites accommodating 101 vehicles and more than 600 passengers, will be renamed and reflagged before it enters service next spring, in time to relieve the Queen of Prince Rupert for its annual refit.

The ship, which is en route to Canada, was painted in Greece and underwent engine modifications to enable the use of cleaner-burning marine diesel fuel before it set sail on its transatlantic crossing.

Once the vessel arrives in B.C. in mid-December, the majority of the refit work will be conducted by Victoria Shipyards, which was the successful bidder over three highly qualified international yards for the $9 million contract. All of the bids were evaluated using key criteria that included the schedule, project plan, contract terms, technical competency and overall price.

The modifications that Victoria Shipyards will undertake include:

Updating safety and security equipment

Modifying the stern ramp to be compatible with BC Ferries’ berths

Upgrading electrical, heating and lighting systems

Expanding, upgrading and reconfiguring the gift shop, galley, passenger food amenities and crew common areas

A crew of BC Ferries’ employees is sailing the ship from Greece to British Columbia. En route, the vessel will travel through the Panama Canal and is expected to arrive at Victoria Shipyards in mid-December.

To follow the vessel's journey from Greece to B.C., visit SoniaWatch on the intranet.

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“As a long time resident of

Bowen Island I wish to thank

you for providing a safe and

professional service to myself

and our community. Our

community is experiencing

dramatic population growth and

with that comes greater demand

for transportation to and from

the mainland. Unfortunately,

some of the newer inhabitants

don’t understand that the

ocean is not a highway, and

even if it were, a vehicle (or

vessel) will have occasional

breakdowns. I'm writing this

merely to express my support

for the task being undertaken

by BC Ferries to provide a

safe service and to modernize

and improve the fleet. Thank

you again for putting safety

first over scheduling demands.”

-Bowen Island

“I want to express my

appreciation to the crew of the

Capilano, from the deckhands to

the captain alike, who transport

my fellow islanders and myself

to work daily through rain,

winds and storms. In particular,

I want to thank Lynn Wakelin,

Cashier, Hospitality Services,

who so pleasantly serves us

commuters at the snack bar

and in the early morning helps

still groggy people like me

push the right buttons on the

fancy cappuccino machine!”

-Bowen Island

A JOURNEY FROM GREECE TO THE NORTH COAST

Our replacement vessel for the Queen of the North was painted with BC Ferries’ livery at Syros Shipyard in Piraeus, Greece, before beginning its journey to Victoria Shipyards.


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“I was travelling the

Powell River-Little River run

three days before my expected

due date of our second child

when my water broke. I want

to extend our thanks to the

captain and crew for their quick

response. Thanks to them,

we made it to the hospital on

time. It was a very exciting

trip! Thanks again to the many

ferry workers who helped us.”

-Powell River

“I recently left my prescription

eyeglasses in a special case

behind on a seat onboard the

ferry. I called the next morning

and I am happy to tell you that

I had the most satisfactory

experience with the staff. My

glasses had not been turned in,

but the staff member took my

phone number and promised to

call if the glasses turned up. And

she did later that evening. I was

able to stop in at the Swartz Bay

terminal the following day and

retrieve my glasses. Everyone

was concerned, helpful,

and efficient. Well done!”

-Victoria

“I really found Trish Smiley,

Customer Service Officer,

to be very helpful and

informative regarding my trip

to and from Vancouver. I

think having customer service

representatives onboard is a

great idea for all customers and

especially those who don't live

in Vancouver or on the island.”

-Vancouver

The Queen of Alberni is undergoing a six-month $40 million mid-life upgrade at Vancouver Drydock in North Vancouver to prepare the 30-year old vessel for another 20 years of service. This is the fifth C-class vessel to undergo a major upgrade at the Washington Marine Group shipyard. The vessel will receive a new marine evacuation system, structural fire protection upgrades, annual machinery maintenance, upgrades to the hull and structure, main shaft refurbishments, a new emergency generator, elevator, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, a new interior design and improved passenger seating areas, an expanded and remodeled gift shop, new food service facilities and updated

washrooms with new coin-operated showers. The Queen of Alberni is the last of the C-class vessels to go through a major mid-life upgrade. Similar upgrades have already been completed on the Queens of Coquitlam, Cowichan, Oak Bay and Surrey.

$40 MILLION UPGRADE FOR THE QUEEN OF ALBERNI

Over the winter months, we are investing more than $28 million in marine structures at Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay in preparation for the new state-of-the-art Super C-class vessels. The Coastal Renaissance, the first of the three Super Cs, will be docking at these terminals beginning late next year. From now until June 2007, the berths at both terminals will be extensively upgraded to accommodate the new larger vessels.

More than 20 B.C. companies are involved in the $28 million project. Local contractors include marine contractors, environmental and engineering consultants, steel fabricators, anchoring contractors, surveyors, hydraulic contractors, painting contractors, corrosion protection companies, electrical equipment suppliers, electrical contractors, communication contractors, as well as diving companies.

As a result of the berth project, alternating berth closures will occur at both terminals until June 2007. By the summer of 2008, all three Super C-class vessels will be sailing the waters of Georgia Strait.

HERE COME THE SUPER Cs – TERMINAL PREPARATIONS IN FULL SWING


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BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENTEach day, our Customer Care Department, which is led by Corrine Storey, Executive Director (a member of the operational team reporting to Mike Corrigan, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer), is hard at work managing reservations, assisting with travel plans, updating our website and responding to our customers’ questions or concerns about their travel experiences. The diverse group is comprised of three components that work together to provide customer service support:

Customer Service Centre - manages the incoming reservation bookings and travel planning requests from residents, visitors, commercial clients, and other callers to our 1-888-BC-FERRY information line

Web Services and Customer Information Network - administers our website and other new tools to get information out to our customers through enhanced technology

Customer Relations - provides an avenue for customers to follow if they have a question or concern about their travel experience.

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ONE ON ONE WITH KAREN TINDALL, MANAGER, CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Q. What can you tell us about Customer Relations?

A. Our Customer Relations team works in support of the company by providing a way for customers to contact us with questions or concerns about their travel experience. We’re also here to address any service issues that are forwarded to us from the front-line and offer guidance to management about recurring issues that might require attention, for instance, when chief stewards receive ongoing questions about the availability

of wireless access for customers. We also have the pleasure of collecting customer compliments and sharing the kudos with employees and management.

Q. How do customers contact you?

A. Customers primarily contact us by phone or through the website. Most often, employees are able to address a customer’s question or concern on the spot, but sometimes the query requires a more in-depth response. In such situations, our customers are provided with a Customer Relations business card, which lists our phone number and the website. Since we replaced the old “Welcome Aboard” and other comment forms with the Customer Relations business card, we have seen significant improvements in the time it takes to respond to customers as employees have been vigilant in providing background information to us before customers even reach us, which saves us a lot of time in follow up. We really have to thank everyone for their support around that.

Q. How to you track and respond to customer comments?

A. While we don’t respond to every comment we receive, we do respond to the customers who have a demonstrated question or concern that needs following up. For the rest of the feedback, we ensure that the customer comments are recorded and are available for management to review. To keep pace with the new age of email and online submissions, this past summer we launched ResponseTek on our website. The ResponseTek feedback

“After we boarded the ferry

in our motor home, the people

behind us told us that our

tow bar was broken. Terribly

dismayed, we approached David

Reid, Chief Officer, about our

problem. He looked over the

situation and told us to go and

have a nice breakfast while he

discussed the matter with the

chief engineer. About 35 minutes

later, we were called over the

intercom. When we got to the

motor home the crew was putting

the tow bar back into place.

You would never have known

that it had been terribly bent.

Shuzo Hara, First Engineer,

and Raj Baldeo, Engine Room

Assistant, were miracle workers.

We could not have asked for

a more polite, wonderful group

of employees. A very special

thank you to all of the crew on

the Queen of New Westminster.”

-Texas

“I am writing to commend

the outstanding service of

Sue Marr, Chief Steward,

Queen of Alberni. For three

years, my husband and I made

four round trips a month as

he had a serious lung disease

and was undergoing a lung

transplant. Sometimes my

husband would need dry toast

and a boiled egg; sometimes he

was so ill he needed to rest.

Chief Steward Sue was always

gracious and always helpful in

making my husband’s journey

comfortable. She was all smiles

and radiated competence.”

-Qualicum


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supplements our Customer Satisfaction Surveys by giving our customers an opportunity to tell us about an experience that was positive or negative. It also lets us know the products and services that customers like and what new services they may be looking for.

Q. How is ResponseTek data used within the company?

A. The data, which is compiled into bar graphs and quick reports, is accessible to our management team from their own computer screens. Importantly, the data provides our front-line managers with direct access to customer comments about their specific service areas and allows them to respond directly to any issues.

Q. As an employee, I’m hearing a lot of customer concerns about one particular aspect of our service. What should I do?

A. The first point of contact should be your manager or supervisor, but for any new initiative with a customer impact, you can also share it with the Customer Relations team as we appreciate being kept in the loop. If you have a suggestion about ways to improve our services or want to notify us about a particular situation or event, feel free to submit it via our group’s email ([email protected]) and we’ll make sure it reaches the correct person. It’s not an incident report, just a quick “heads up” so we know all the details about a particular situation in case we hear about it later from the customer.

“My daughter, who attends

UVic, realized she had left her

purse in my car after the ferry

left. Her purse contained her

ID, money and keys to get into

residence. She was able to call

me from the ferry as I drove

into work. This chief steward

explained to me how to get the

purse to the administration office

so that it could be put on the

next ferry. She even offered

to lend my daughter money!

I was able to get the purse

to terminal and it did indeed

go on the next ferry where my

father picked it up and drove it

into Victoria. I cannot thank

BC Ferries enough and would like

to especially thank the employees

who were so kind and helpful to

my daughter. Crisis averted!”

-Burnaby

“With the major snowstorm,

Vancouver Island is pretty much

closed today. Snow has shut

down everything. Not only is

it impressive to see the ferries

running at all today, but to see

on-time for most of the ferry

routes was really unexpected.

The staff and crews deserve a

lot of praise today! Well done.”

-Victoria


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“Prior to boarding the

Queen of Nanaimo from

Tsawwassen, my son fell from a

piece of playground equipment

at the terminal. Once onboard,

it was apparent that the fall

was more serious than originally

thought. The first aid officer,

Renee Savage, Customer

Service Attendant, Long

Harbour, who was both

professional and very kind,

immediately treated my son.

The chief steward quickly

requested help from any doctor

onboard and then brought a

doctor to see us. While we

waited to get to Salt Spring,

the employees worked very

hard to make our situation go

as smoothly as possible. They

not only informed the hospital

of our pending arrival, but

checked local hotels and bed and

breakfasts for vacancies. When

Laura Sargent, Terminal

Services Attendant, Long

Harbour, heard of our situation

she immediately offered her

home to us for the night. Renee

kindly drove us to the hospital and

when we were done Laura was

there to greet us with welcome

warmth. On the way back, my

son went to the bridge where

the captain helped him steer

the ship. Your employees on the

Southern Gulf Islands route

deserve much credit for going

beyond the call of duty. The

kindness of the people we

encountered made a difficult

situation much more manageable.

-Mayne Island

Thanks to Captain Dale Phipps, Senior Master, Super C Project, for sending this informative update from Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG).

“The steel for the Super Cs is produced in Sweden and shipped to a company in Denmark where it is sorted into the different types of steel needed for the FSG shipyard. There is a wide variety of steel thickness required throughout the vessel at different locations and times during construction. Each day (or near about), the company delivers the steel required to support the steel production for the coming days. One to two hundred tonnes of steel are produced each day.

The construction method is called ‘modular construction’ where the steel or shell of the vessel is designed in full and then broken down to manageable sections. The larger sections are then further broken down into smaller subsections. It’s like a puzzle that is divided into large pieces that are then broken down into

much smaller pieces. For the Super C-class, we have 88 sections and 800 - 1000 subsections. The sizes of the 88 sections are determined by the ability of the yard to lift the sections and move them around by trucks and cranes.

When the steel arrives it is lifted into the first station of the assembly line and construction commences. It moves through stations two to six with each station adding their piece of the puzzle. Once the subsection is complete and inspected by the FSG internal inspectors, BC Ferries and ABS (classification society) inspect the subsection for approval on quality of welding and alignment of bulkheads and frames.

The subsection continues down to stations 7 and 8 where further items, such as piping and cable trays, are installed. This is also where some of the smaller subsections are attached to make a larger subsection. BC Ferries and ABS are again called to inspect and comment or approve

THE COASTAL RENAISSANCE IS ON THE CONSTRUCTION LINE

Construction on the Coastal Renaissance as of November 17.


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Glenn Adams, Deckhand,

Tsawwassen, knows how to

keep our customers (and their

shoes!) happy. Here is a letter

Glen sent to a passenger

whose shoes had an onboard

adventure:

“Your shoes had a great voyage…

too bad you weren’t in them!

There were some clowns onboard

and your shoes saw some killer

whales, too. They also met the

captain, the chief steward and

had a walk-about of the ship,

including a visit to the engine

room and control room. Your

shoes also had a great buffet

lunch and enjoyed BC Ferries’

world-famous clam chowder. It

was a very busy day on the ferry!

Hopefully your shoes can have a

bit of a rest before going back to

work. Bon voyage on behalf of

the B Watch crew onboard the

Spirit of British Columbia.”

Our customer’s reply:

“Dear Glenn Adams and

B Watch, my shoes thank you

for the wonderful voyage. I

am saddened that I was not

in my shoes to see the killer

whales. I wanted to let know

how appreciative I am that you

took time out of your day to

take care of my shoes. You truly

are a great representative of

BC Ferries. Thank you.”

the completion of the work at station 8. The smaller subsections continue to move through station 9 and end up outside at station 10 (storage) where another inspection is called. Often items such as ladders, additional piping and smaller subsections are joined to make larger subsections.

From station 10, the subsections are moved into the sand blasting and paint shed where they are cleaned and painted. Two more inspections are called: one after blasting and another after painting. These subsections are then moved to the shed where the larger subsections are made into one of the 88 sections. The completed 88 sections will then be lifted one by one

onto the slipway and joined together. BC Ferries and ABS will be called to inspect the connection of these steel sections, as well as the piping and wiring connections.

The first finished section will be lifted into place during the keel laying ceremony on January 2, 2007. The vessel will be assembled and launched in approximately 14 weeks clearing the slipway before being put alongside the pier at FSG where outfitting and finishing work will be done and inspections carried out for the thousands of different details to be installed, from telephones to carpets to main engine operation.”

Brian Nerada, Engineering Manager, Major Vessel Construction, conducts the first inspection of a subsection of module number B01, a double bottom tank amidships of the hull.

Assembling the subsections for one of the 88 sections.


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“I send my sincerest thanks

to two of your off duty crew

members who went far and

above the call of duty. I was

sailing from Tsawwassen to

Duke Point on the

Queen of Alberni when I noticed

that my right front tire was low.

When I returned to my car after

lunch my tire was completely

flat. I wasn't sure if I could even

try to drive off of the ferry so

I went to the Chief Steward's

office to find out what assistance

might be available. Two off duty

crew members from Tsawwassen,

Don Keaist, Second Cook, and

Barbara Johnson, Second

Cook, were in the office at the

time and immediately offered

to help. Don and Barbara had

a portable compressor in their

vehicle and attempted to inflate

my tire. When that proved to

be unsuccessful, they changed

my tire to my spare so that I

could get off the ferry and to

my destination on the Island.

They kindly refused any form of

compensation, saying they were

just pleased that they could be

of help. I will be forever grateful

to Don and Barbara for their

kindness and assistance. They

truly are good Samaritans.”

-Nanaimo

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE FLEET

Captain Orval Bouchard, Chair, Council of Masters, thanks Captain Steve Poole for his many years of service as Chair of the Electronics and Navigational Aids Committee. Captain Poole assumed the role of Marine Superintendent, North Coast, Prince Rupert on October 1.

Captain Jamie Marshall, Executive Director, Safety, Security & Environment, congratulates Captain Mike Carter on his retirement after 40 years with BC Ferries. Congratulations, Captain Carter. You will be missed!

Captain Gordon Nettleton, Marine Superintendent, Northern Islands (left), presents Rob Coomber, Mate, Saltery Bay, with a retirement certificate in honour of his 23 years with BC Ferries. Happy retirement, Rob!

After 32 years with the company, Peter Hildebrand, Manager, Tariff & Revenue Control, is hanging up his hat and heading into retirement. Happy trails, Peter!

Special thanks to the Spirit of Vancouver Island crew for going above and beyond in customer service. After learning that a customer was planning to propose to his girlfriend on the journey from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, the crew went to work and arranged a special table in the buffet. Thanks to Linda Pozzobon, Customer Service Attendant, for setting up the table and Mike Pilon, Customer Service Attendant, and Darlene Crawford, Second Steward, for ensuring everything went as planned for the happy couple.


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POWER PLAY SAVINGS FOR BC FERRIES EMPLOYEES!

As part of our new 2006-07 season sponsorship of the Victoria Salmon Kings pro ECHL hockey team, an affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose, BC Ferries

employees are eligible for terrific savings on home game tickets. Visit the intranet to find out how to access our exclusive ticket offer.

As part of our sponsorship, we’re supplying the team with the ferry travel portion of their road games, including meals in the Pacific Buffet. Watch for information about exciting in-game promotions at 24 home games, including BC Ferries' on-ice presence at the November 11, January 20 and March 17 games. Joining in the fun will be our Captain mascot, whose new home will be at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, where we’ll celebrate each Salmon Kings goal by sounding a ship’s whistle and awarding prizes to lucky spectators seated in the Captain’s deck located in section 105.

GOLFING FOR A GOOD CAUSEThis year, we donated the proceeds from our annual golf tournament, which was held at Arbutus Ridge, to the Cowichan Valley Basket Society Food Bank. Every year, the food bank serves more than 40,000 soups and sandwiches, gives out 3,000 food hampers and helps feed more than 4,000 adults and 3,000 children.

Funds were raised through the closest-to-the-hole challenge on the treacherous number 17 par 3 water hole. Players made donations for a chance at winning, but the real winners were those people in need as we were able to raise $1,000 for a great cause. The Cowichan Valley Basket Society sends a big thank you to BC Ferries' employees.

Jill Bonneteau-Smith, Administrative Assistant, Communications, and her sons, Jake and Cole, joined in the fun in the Captain’s Deck section at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.

Competitors ready themselves for the SailPass Competition during an intermission at the November 11 Victoria Salmon Kings game. The Captain marshalled the race of three adult and child teams that raced around mock gulf islands. The first place team won a 7 day SailPass, two Pacific Buffet vouchers and two BC Ferries fleece vests, with the runners up receiving BC Ferries merchandise prize packs. Don’t miss the next on-ice promotion taking place January 20!

Steve Salaga, Business Analyst, Fleet House, (left) with Betty Anne Devitt, Director of the Cowichan Valley Basket Society (Food Bank), and Lorne Allison, Investors Group Financial Services.


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“My wife and I would like to thank

the kindness of one of your ticket

attendants at the Tsawwassen

terminal. My father and mother-

in-law were injured in a bus

accident that had happened on

the way to the terminal. We went

to get them in Richmond and

when we arrived at the terminal

the next sailing was already

full. The attendant took it upon

himself to get permission for us

to sail on that sailing rather than

wait so that we could get our

parents home and comfortable.

Thank you very much for the

kindness of your people.”

-Sidney

“As my family and I travelled

from Departure Bay to

Horseshoe Bay, my prescription

sunglasses slipped out of my

jacket pocket and were left on

the Queen of Oak Bay. The staff

in the administration office was

most helpful and reassuring in

the fact that someone would find

my glasses. We were visiting

from Calgary, but staying in

the Vancouver area for several

days. I received a phone call

around 7:00 p.m. that evening to

inform me that my glasses had

been found and I picked them

up the next day. The staff was

very professional, effective and

efficient. Keep up the good work!”

-Calgary

NEW UNIFORMS ARE HERE!Following a successful uniform clothing trial with more than 200 employees across 30 points of assembly, our new Managed Uniform Services program is beginning in December. Special thanks to the 13 employee representatives of the Uniform Working Group who worked diligently over the past year to develop a program that will provide employees with high quality, well fitted and practical uniforms. The Group was directly involved in all aspects of the new program, including the contract award, program development, field testing and garment selection.

When the program begins, Logistik Unicorp, which provides managed uniform services to more than 250,000 uniformed employees in Canada, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Via Rail, Parks Canada and Canada Post, will provide Canadian-made uniform items in a range of styles appropriate for all uniform positions. Basic uniform colours and logos remain the same for all positions with the exception of deckhands who will be eligible to receive khaki coloured shirts and pants.

A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR YOUAn innovative feature of the new uniform program is Logistik’s measurement-based sizing system that recommends garment sizes based on your actual body measurements. In addition, there will be an online ordering system where you will be

able to access Logistik’s secure website and view the uniform items before ordering them online, as well as a toll free number available for phone orders and customer service representatives to answer your questions.

HOW TO GET STARTEDIn early December, Logistik Unicorp will send all uniformed employees a start-up information package that includes a measuring kit and detailed instructions on how to order uniform items. Don’t forget that you need to enroll in the Managed Uniform Program and provide Logistik with your home mailing address and body measurements before you can order your new uniform. These steps are necessary to ensure that you receive uniform items based on your body measurements and that your items are mailed to the correct address.

DON’T MISS OUT!To ensure that your start-up kit reaches you, please access Employee Self Service on the intranet to verify your home mailing address. Alternatively, you may contact your local Employee Relations office if you need to change your contact information. We value the protection of your personal and private information and assure you that the information you provide will be used solely to provide you with a uniform that fits well and looks professional. If you have any questions about our new managed uniform program, please contact Gabe Tonin, Project Manager, at [email protected] or (604) 204-2214.

Quathiaski Cove Deckhands Norm Barker, Glen Macklin and Rebecca Pidcock were all smiles as they checked out the new uniform offerings.

Tracey Stokes, Terminal Services Attendant, Campbell River, models the outerwear. The new outerwear has a breast pocket designed to accommodate a two-way radio and a tab for the microphone clip.


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“As I travelled from Tsawwassen

to Duke Point I became extremely

ill and was unable to leave the

car deck. My wife contacted the

crew and they came immediately

to assist me. The crew took me

to a private toilet and cabin

so that a doctor who happened

to be onboard could see me.

It was decided that I should

be met by an ambulance and

taken to Nanaimo Hospital. Your

employees were considerate and

caring at all times. Two of

the crew members even called

the hospital to see how I was

getting on. The crew gave service

beyond that which would be

normally required and we wish

to express our gratitude to all

staff who dealt with us that day.”

-Duncan

“Special thanks to Dino Silvano,

Customer Service Attendant,

for his skill and professionalism

in assisting me after I injured

my shin. Dino did an excellent

job of assessing and treating my

minor injury, talking me through

the cleaning and covering of

the wound and explaining

about follow-up care. He also

provided me with cold packs to

use on my journey. Perhaps

most importantly, he was able

to reassure and cheer me as I

was distraught and frustrated

about my stupidity in tripping on

the car deck. His approach was

caring and respectful, but also

light enough to help me put the

incident in perspective. Many

thanks to Dino and BC Ferries

for providing this service.”

-Ladysmith

A MEETING OF THE MINDSOn October 24, our Senior Chief Engineers gathered in Victoria to discuss engineering achievements over the past year, address current challenges and explore ways to improve the service the engineering team delivers to other areas of the company. The meeting was also an opportunity to present the new 2006 Engineering Achievement Award to Bill Connor, Senior Chief Engineer, Queen of Chilliwack, who accepted it on behalf of the vessel’s engineering team for their outstanding effort to improve the condition of the ship's bilges. The improvements to the bilges have important benefits for the safety and health of the crew and a positive environmental impact by reducing potential overboard discharge of chemicals. Each year, the Engineering group will set a new target area or action and will present the award to the ship with the greatest improvement.

Front Row (left to right): Paul Radford, Alex Nicholl, Jim Scofield, Steve Neish, Garry Hague, Ross Manton, Stuart Wills, Adrian Perkins, Lloyd Sim Middle Row: Mark Collins, Mike Ball, Taru Rana, Greg Stewart, Amarjit Clair, Eduardo Munoz, Bill Connor, Leigh Steele, Wayne Ralph, Angus Sutherland, Ike Khan, Borje Persson, A.J. MacEachern, Angelo Canagasuriam Back Row: Mark Nemeth, Terry Giles, Mike Swan, Dave Turrie, Mike Atto, Gary MacDonald, Amarjit Dhariwal, Gord Letkeman, Brian Erickson, Paul Furzeland, Dave Bartle, Rod Spence, Azmal Karim, Darren Greaves, David Hahn.

This year's award is for the most improved bilge area on a vessel. David L. Hahn, President and CEO, and Mark Collins, Vice President, Engineering, presented the 2006 Engineering Achievement Award to Bill Connor, Senior Chief Engineer, Queen of Chilliwack, and the vessel’s entire engineering team for their outstanding effort to improve the condition of the ship's bilges. Congratulations!


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WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE BC COALITION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIESIn 2005, BC Ferries and the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities formed the Accessibility Advisory Committee to pursue opportunities to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities at all BC Ferries facilities and on all vessels.

The BC Ferries members of the committee include Pat Morris, Manager of Operational Planning, Co-Chair; Bruce Paterson, Fleet Technical Director; Jeff Davidson, Director, Retail Services; Barb Britton-Wilson, Director of Catering; Gregg Clackson, Terminal Director, Swartz Bay; Roberta Chartier, Manager, Reservations System; and Gary Leitch, Manager of Stakeholder Relations. From the public, the representatives are: Pat Danforth, Disability Resource Centre, Victoria; Valerie Thoem, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities; Linda Bartram, Alliance of Blind Canadians, Victoria; and Julie Caudle, Alliance of Blind Canadians, Victoria.

Once a year the committee meets with its corporate sponsors, Mark Collins, Vice President, Engineering; Geoff Dickson, Vice President, Food & Retail Captain George A. Capacci, Vice President, Fleet Operations; , and Manuel Achadinha, Vice President, Terminal Operations, to report on progress from the previous year, outline plans for the coming year, and raise any significant challenges the committee sees which may impact its work.

“The work of this committee is very important to the company,” said Captain Capacci. “As our customer base ages, we anticipate that more of our customers will have significant accessibility challenges. The more we can design all of our systems, ships and terminals to meet the needs of those with accessibility issues, we improve the service for all our customers.”

Pat Danforth of the Disability Resource Centre says she is particularly pleased to be working with BC Ferries. “Ferries are an important part of the lives of everyone living on the coast. It’s gratifying for those of us representing the public to know that BC Ferries is as responsive as it is. It’s fun working with BC Ferries; I’m learning a whole new set of acronyms!”

The Master Planning process for our major terminals and the newbuild program for ships present major opportunities to improve the accessibility of our facilities. The committee is now working on criteria to recommend when and where investments should be made. Many of the changes that need to made and some that already have been made are subtle and may not even be noticed by those who don’t need them. A case in point is the recent change made to poster board menus in the cafeterias on the Spirit vessels. While they may not be noticed by everyone, the changes have been very beneficial to our VIPs (visually impaired persons) travelling on our Spirit-class ships.

Have questions or suggestions for the Committee? Contact Gary Leitch, Manager of Stakeholder Relations, at (250) 978-1186.

“We were en route to Galiano

from Vancouver, but due to my

mistake, we arrived one hour

ahead of the arrival time instead

of one hour ahead of the sailing

time. Needless to say, we missed

our ferry. The woman at the

gate who was helping people

was great. She was empathetic,

a great problem solver and

went out of her way to find a

way to get us to our wedding

reception on time. By finding the

innovative solution that routed

us through Victoria and out on

the first ferry from Swartz Bay

in the morning, she saved our

weekend. People who handle

customer issues with such care

and thoughtfulness are rare.”

-Vancouver

“My husband and I were

recently passengers on the

Queen of Oak Bay. Our first

surprise onboard was the newly

refurbished ship. It was very

nice and the service was great

as well. My husband and I

were walk-on passengers and

required assistance on both trips

coming and going. I must say

the staff were friendly and most

helpful and went out of their way

to make us comfortable, even

delivering our lunch to our table.

Thank you to all of the crew.”

-Duncan

Pat Danforth, Employment Coordinator, Disability Resource Centre, and Director, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities and Gary Leitch, Manager of Stakeholder Relations, prepare the agenda for the next committee meeting.


"Kudos to Gary Law, Deckhand,

and Terminal Services Agent at

Denman East for consistently

receiving positive compliments for

the excellent service he provides

to travellers visiting Denman and

Hornby Islands. Good work, Gary!

Your kind and generous nature is

a positive reflection on all the

employees at BC Ferries."

“Hello I would like to thank the

staff who gave us EXCELLENT

service on the Horseshoe Bay

- Departure Bay run. I was

travelling with five adult dogs and

seven puppies. The employees

in both terminals and onboard

were wonderful, making sure to

load us in an area with lots of air

circulation so our dogs would stay

as cool as possible. I just wanted

to say thank you and let you know

the service we got was triple A.”

-Nanaimo

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GETTING IN THE ZONE AT SWARTZ BAYSwartz Bay terminal was filled with smiles on August 25 as we hosted KidSport™ Funzone, an afternoon of interactive demonstrations by local sport organizations. The KidSport Funzone gives young people an opportunity to try a new sport and expend some energy while at the ferry terminal. Kids were invited to participate in activities presented by BC Sports Hall of Fame, Golf BC, PacificSport, Softball BC and Weightlifting BC. The afternoon also featured prize giveaways and a special appearance by our mascot, The Captain.

KidSport, the charitable arm of Sport BC, helps address financial obstacles that may limit children and youth from playing sport. Since 1993 The KidSport™ Fund has raised and distributed over one million dollars to children and youth to support their sport activities. To date, BC Ferries has raised more than $75,000 for this valuable organization through a charity golf event,

as well as a portion of sales of special KidSport™ breakfast and lunch meals onboard select vessels. BC Ferries has also provided travel support to 45 different sporting clubs representing 22 sports via BC Ferries/Sport BC’s Sporting Life on the Coast travel assistance program.

AUTO TICKETING PILOT PROJECTAs an added convenience for our foot passenger customers, we’re testing a new automated ticketing system at Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay terminals. The system is designed to simplify ticket purchases and speed up the foot passenger loading process. Customers have the option of using an automated ticketing kiosk to purchase tickets and receive boarding passes for foot passenger travel on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen – Duke Point, Tsawwassen – Gulf Islands and Swartz Bay – Gulf Island routes. The project, which began in September, will run until December, at which time we will solicit feedback from employees and customers and evaluate the project’s success to determine if automated ticketing should be expanded.

Liz Siddull, Customer Service Attendant, at the auto ticketing booths at Tsawwassen terminal.


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“I am writing to thank two of your

staff for their prompt assistance

in the recovery of a lost watch

that was of no material value,

but great sentimental value to

my husband. It had belonged

to his father who passed away

over 18 years ago. He had

taken it off in the car to change

to daylight savings time and

must not have tightened it

properly when putting it back

on. He was travelling on the

Queen of Oak Bay when he

discovered it had slipped

off his wrist. He went to the

chief steward who then called

Terri Scott, Ticket Agent, at

the Horseshoe Bay terminal.

Terri went out, found the watch

on the sidewalk and reported back

to the Chief Steward much to the

relief of my husband. It had a

broken crystal but he is delighted

about its recovery. Terri said she

would send it to Tsawwassen,

which is closer to where we live

in White Rock. We both thank

you with heartfelt gratitude.

Keep up the great work.”

-White Rock

“I must compliment you for the

condition of the ferries we were

on as we travelled to Vancouver

and back. They were clean and

well-maintained, the staff was

pleasant and helpful, and we

enjoyed eating in the cafeteria

where the food and service

were both very good. So, keep

up the good work. I certainly

enjoyed the experience and hope

to use your service again soon.”

-Vancouver

TRANSAS TRAINING WITH CAPTAIN MILLIGANOver the past year, Captain Dave Milligan, who is certified by Transport Canada and Transas to provide training on the basic theory and use of Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), has been conducting training courses for officers who will be in charge of a navigational watch on vessels equipped with ECDIS. Transas is a world-leading supplier of a wide range of software and technology, including navigation, shore-based and simulation systems for the aviation and marine industries.

The three-day course emphasizes that ECDIS is part of an integrated navigation system that includes radar, various sensors and Automatic Information Systems. The trainees perform exercises that provide practice in setting up the ECDIS display, planning and monitoring a route, and responding to system alarms. The exercises emphasize basic navigational functions in a real-time navigational environment and require the students to perform actions necessary for a safe navigational watch.

In addition, trainees receive instruction regarding the basic theoretical aspects of ECDIS, the principle types of electronic charts and the legal aspects of the use of ECDIS. When the crew is trained and utilizes the system properly, they find that their workload is reduced and their situational awareness increased. On successful completion of the course, the students are issued a Transport Canada approved certificate. To date, 140 certificates have been issued to BC Ferries’ officers.

MORFITT SAFETY REVIEWAn update from David L. Hahn, President & CEO:

This past July, we commissioned former Auditor General George Morfitt to conduct a comprehensive, independent review of all BC Ferries’ safety practices to ensure that we continue to operate one of the safest ferry systems in the world. Mr. Morfitt and his team have been conducting interviews with numerous internal and external parties, including management, employees, regulators and the BC Ferries and Marine Workers’ Union, and have access to all of our operations, including Operational Safety Logs and external and internal audits. We look forward to the report, which we expect will be released publicly in early January, and are prepared to make whatever changes are recommended by Mr. Morfitt and his team to ensure the ongoing safety of our customers and employees. Thank you for your support as we await the results of this important and comprehensive safety review.

The Transas Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) onboard our Spirit-class vessels. We are currently installing the ECDIS system on all of our C-class vessels.


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JOINING FORCES FOR SAREX 2006On Sunday, October 15, BC Ferries participated in the Canadian Coast Guard’s SAREX 2006 Ship to Shore training exercise to test its Major Maritime Disaster Contingency Plan. We were one of many organizations in the mock emergency situation that was played out onboard the Queen of Nanaimo. SAREX 2006 was an opportunity for various federal, provincial and local agencies to practice jurisdictional roles and inter-agency working relationships, and assess the resource capabilities to respond to a major maritime incident on the west coast. Coast Guard ships and hovercraft, Canadian Forces search and rescue aircraft and other assets joined together to make the exercise a success.

Special thanks to the many BC Ferries employees who participated in the exercise on a rainy and windy Sunday. It was an excellent opportunity for our emergency responders and crews to keep their response skills sharp.


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THE WAVE is looking for stories, events and photos from throughout the fleet.

The next deadline for submissions is January 31, 2007.

Contact THE WAVEErinn Grant, Editor 1112 Fort Street Victoria, BC V8V 4V2 Tel: 1-877-280-1419 Fax: (250) 978-1119 [email protected]

THE WAVE

It’s time once again to unpack the decorations, unravel the strings of lights and pull on that Santa hat in preparation for this year’s Spirit of the Season tree decorating contest taking place November 27 – December 18. The contest is open to groups of employees from all areas of the company. The trees will be judged for creativity, team effort and most in keeping with BC Ferries’ Life on the coast theme. There are some great prizes to be won, so check out the intranet for all the details.

This holiday season, we’re putting up lights, handing out candy canes and bringing Santa onboard to share some festive cheer with our co-workers and customers. Beginning in early December, the Spirit-class vessels will be decorated with lights, our ticket booths adorned with wreaths and seasonal goodies available in the buffets and cafeterias. As the month moves on, candy canes and customer information pamphlets, featuring travel tips and promotional discounts, will be handed out at the ticket booths. Watch for Santa who will be making special appearances onboard from December 21 to 24.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

Congratulations to Nancy Gerein, Catering Secretary, Departure Bay, who entered the winning photo in our Christmas card contest. Nancy submitted this great shot after we put out the call for a photo that could be used for this year's company Christmas card. Thanks, Nancy!

WHOSE TREE WILL TAKE TOP BRANCH THIS YEAR?

Season’s Greetings


BC Ferries the Wave Fall 2006

Documents

Transcript of BC Ferries the Wave Fall 2006