AMHS Not Efficiently ManagedBy Mary Lynne Dahl November 24, 2014
My husband and I have a cabin in Smithers, BC. Like many Ketchikaners, we ski at the family ski hill in Smithers every winter and spring. We get there via the AMHS ferry to Prince Rupert, and then drive east for about 4 hours to reach Smithers. This year, as usual, we booked passage on the ferry Taku to Prince Rupert leaving Ketchikan November 24 and returning 2 weeks later on the next ferry to Ketchikan. Round trip with a car and cabin for 4 was $412. Our plans were for our family in Washington to drive up and meet us at our cabin and share Thanksgiving at the cabin, as we always do. Just 2 days ago, only 4 days before we were scheduled to depart, we got a phone call from AMHS informing us that our ferry trip was being cancelled. Fortunately our family down south was driving up, not flying up this time, which is expensive and would not be refunded if they had been forced to cancel. When I asked why this sailing was being cancelled, I was told that the Taku was scheduled for maintenance, and that there was no other ferry available to substitute. With no other option for getting to Smithers by car, our Thanksgiving holiday had been cancelled. It may not be the end of the world, but it certainly is not good business, from a business perspective. But then, the ferry system is not run like a business, and that is the real bottom line here. After a moment of absorbing this information, I asked why AMHS would schedule maintenance during what is considered several of the busiest travel weeks of the year? And why is the Matanuska sitting at the cruise ship dock in downtown Ketchikan? Why is the Columbia sitting at the other loading dock across from the Ketchikan ferry terminal, when either could take the place of the Taku while the Taku is going in for maintenance? The answer I got was that if the ferry needed maintenance, we wouldn’t want to travel on an unsafe ferry, would we now? Duh. That isn’t the point. The point is that the ferry system is not being efficiently managed, and certainly not with its customers’ needs in mind. Shutting down for planned maintenance that should have been scheduled in October, not during the holidays when people are more prone to travel, is just ordinary common sense, but this does seem to be lacking in the management of AMHS. The ferry system needs to start thinking outside of the proverbial government box. For example, AMHS could contract the hotel and food service on board to private enterprise. Not possible? Why not? Competition would undoubtedly improve the bottom line as well as the services to the paying customers. Another possible change would be to consider having the winter run to and from Bellingham stop in Prince Rupert instead of going right past it. Not possible? Why not? I realize that this would add time to the schedule, but it would also save a lot of fuel, especially since the winter run to Prince Rupert sometimes only has a few cars on board but uses almost the same amount of fuel and staffing as if it were full. I realize that my specific suggestions might not work, but my point is that management changes are desperately needed and without them, passengers will continue to be treated like part of the problem, rather than part of the solution. Have I made these sorts of suggestions and comments directly to the ferry system in the past? You bet I have, but alas, I have yet to get a response. Mary Lynne Dahl About: 7-8 round trips on the AMHS ferries every year for 15 years; Mary Lynne Dahl also sent copies of her letter to Governor-elect Bill Walker, Senator Bert Stedman and Rep. Dan Ortiz... Received November 24, 2014 - Published November 24, 2014 Viewpoints - Opinion Letters:
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