Tag: marine atlantic

Atlantic Transport News – April 2023

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Welcome to the April Atlantic Transport News. Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

NEW FERRY FOR MARINE ATLANTIC HAS BEEN LAUNCHED

Already wearing Marine Atlantic’s colours and logo, this as yet unnamed ferry has recently been launched at a shipyard in China. The vessel is being built for international ferry operator Stena Line, which will lease it on completion to the Canadian Crown corporation for five years. PHOTO – Marine Atlantic

A new addition to Marine Atlantic’s fleet is just a little more than a year away from entering service. The E-Flexer-class ferry is being built for international ferry operator Stena Line at the Chinese state-owned Jinling Shipyard. She was floated out of drydock on March 28, and is now in an adjacent water berth where the bulk of the mechanical, electrical, and interior outfitting will occur over the next several months.

On completion, the new ship – as yet unnamed – will be leased to the federal Crown corporation for a five-year term. Marine Atlantic will have an option to purchase at the end of that period if the vessel proves to be satisfactory to its needs. The company expects the new ferry will arrive in Canada in the spring of 2024, and plans to introduce her on the seasonal Argentia service next June. It hasn’t been officially confirmed, but it would appear that the lease on MV Atlantic Vision – an essential part of the fleet for some 15 years – will be terminated on delivery of the new ship. Although not designed as a “cruise ferry” like the Vision, the new build will offer a similar number of passenger cabins, with the added feature of “sleeping pods” to accommodate single travellers.

“The [new]vessel is designed to meet the changing needs of our customers, and combines key priorities such as improved maneuverability, safety and accessibility while minimizing environmental impacts, to provide a modern, efficient, and reliable ferry service,” said Marine Atlantic spokesperson Darrell Mercer.

A statement from Stena Line said the new ship is 202.9 metres long, 27.8 metres wide, and has a draft of 6.45 metres. It can accommodate 1,100 people and has a lane length of 2,571 metres, including a 476-metre lane for private cars.

Per Westling, managing director of Stena RoRo, said Marine Atlantic is an “old customer” of Stena, which delivered one ferry to the Crown corporation in 2000 and two more in 2010, all of which are still in operation. But the relationship actually dates back to the 1960s, when the first Stena vessel appeared on the North Sydney-Port aux Basques service.

“We focus on making the ship design meet the specific expectations of our customers,” Mr. Westling said. “Our E-Flexer vessels meet customer requirements, combining efficient dual-fuel engines and battery-hybrid solutions to minimize emissions.”

NORTHUMBERLAND STILL SEEKING REPLACEMENT SHIP FOR PEI

MV Confederation is scheduled to return to the Northumberland Ferries service between Wood Islands and Caribou next month, but details are still being finalized on a long-term replacement ferry for the ill-fated Holiday Island which was written off following an engineroom fire last summer. PHOTO – Northumberland Ferries

The seasonal ferry service between Wood Islands PEI and Caribou NS is set to return on May 1, but a second vessel for the summer peak period was still not confirmed as of this writing. While MV Confederation was undergoing refit at the Newfoundland Dockyard, officials of Northumberland Ferries Limited were working to finalize short-term arrangements for a second vessel to serve the run during the 2023 summer peak.

Company vice-president Mark Wilson was not in a position to reveal the target ship, but he told the Eastern Graphic that he was very confident of a successful outcome in the negotiations. Last year’s temporary replacement was leased from the Quebec provincial ferry corporation STQ, following an engineroom fire that put the 52-year-old MV Holiday Island permanently out of commission. The ancient veteran is currently being scrapped at Sheet Harbour NS, after it was determined that repairs could not be economically justified.

Mr. Wilson acknowledged that this season’s temporary replacement will likely come with strings attached, as did last year’s. He said a more consistent interim vessel will be needed over the next few years, and that’s what NFL is looking for.

“We don’t want to be repeating this process every summer,” he told the newspaper, noting that the 2022 emergency replacement was subject to being recalled at short notice, as it was the designated relief vessel for one of STQ’s regular routes. He added that his company recognizes how important the service is, agreeing with a comment from Blair Aiken, president of the Eastern PEI Chamber of Commerce.

“Every consideration must be given to the continuity of service that’s required for the eastern region of the Island,” Mr. Aiken said. “A temporary replacement, as much as it might be appreciated, isn’t really addressing the issue.”

Other observers – Transport Action Atlantic included – believe the federal government waited far too long to begin planning replacement of the aging Holiday Island, and that the process should have begun years before the shipboard fire that ended her long and faithful career. As it now stands, it will be at least four more years before a new ferry can be designed, tendered and constructed. And by then it will be time to plan for replacing the Confederation, which entered service in 1993.

NB GOVERNMENT HOSTS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYMPOSIUM

A large turnout from across New Brunswick and elsewhere attended a two-day symposium on Public and Community Transportation in Fredericton on March 22-23. PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

There’s some renewed optimism that the Government of New Brunswick may be adopting a more positive view on public transportation, in the wake of a well-attended symposium sponsored recently by the provincial Economic and Social Transit Corporation (ESIC). The two-day event at the Delta Fredericton attracted some 200 attendees from within the province and from other jurisdictions eager to share their advice and success stories. And, significantly, three members of Premier Blaine Higgs’ cabinet made an appearance with all three expressing their support for better transportation options in New Brunswick.

It just may mark a turning point in the governing PC Party’s attitude toward transportation in general and public transit in particular. The Higgs government has left millions in federal transit funding on the table in recent years, after declining to match the offer with matching provincial dollars. The premier once famously and flippantly remarked that “Fredericton doesn’t need a subway” – while ignoring the reality that the capital city certainly could benefit from more efficient bus transit with service seven days a week.

The minister responsible for ESIC, Dorothy Shephard, was brimming with enthusiasm in a statement released after the symposium concluded.

“The issue of transportation is important to everyone in our province,” she said, “allowing our residents to move for reasons such as employment, health, training and leisure. It was a pleasure to discuss various opportunities for our province with such a dedicated group of passionate and experienced participants and guest speakers.”

It would seem Minister Shephard supports the philosophy expressed by a number of symposium participants: that public transportation is for everybody – not just the socially disadvantaged. The event provided an opportunity to learn more about the current context in New Brunswick, leading models in the Maritimes and Canada, regulations and policy considerations, available funding, and networking. Municipal public transit as well as accessible and active transportation were also addressed.

New Brunswick Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jeff Carr, Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard, and Local Government Minister Daniel Allain ham it up for the camera during an evening reception at the Public and Community Transportation Symposium in Fredericton on March 22. PHOTO – ESIC

The stated objective of the symposium was to lay the foundation for integrated regional transport strategies in connection with the reform of local governance and the provincial plan to overcome poverty. A key component is the development and implementation of regional plans to increase the accessibility, affordability and availability of transportation services.

“The Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation is pleased to have brought together stakeholders, funders and transportation providers during the symposium,” said Jean Allain, chair of the corporation’s board. “We need the collaboration of all stakeholders to ensure that residents of the province will benefit from partnership arrangements for transportation. I believe we are on track.”

DETAILS TRICKLE OUT ABOUT VIA HEP TESTING, WHILE FEDS GIVE LITTLE FUNDING SUPPORT

An unoccupied LRC car brings up the tail end of this Corridor HEP consist, shortly after the buffer car requirement was added in October 2022. With HEP testing results looking positive, the buffers may soon be a thing of the past. PHOTO – Tim Hayman

The testing of VIA Rail’s stainless steel “HEP” equipment has been underway since the beginning of the year, with several cars sent to CAD rail services in Montreal for tear-down inspections, and a smaller group sent to the National Research Council’s facility in Ottawa for destructive compression testing. The testing will confirm whether the cars are safe for continued operation, and what interventions may be needed to keep them operating for the remainder of their service lives. In the interim, all trains operating with HEP equipment have required unoccupied “buffer” cars at the front and rear of consists.

Formal details haven’t yet been released, but rail enthusiast and blogger Eric Gagnon received the most detailed breakdown of results to date via an Access to Information request, which he published on his Trackside Treasure blog. Overall, the results so far have been positive, and while some defects have been identified there does not appear to be anything of critical concern that would require the fleet to be withdrawn immediately. Based on both these reports and other unofficial sources, it sounds like the buffer car requirement may also be removed in the near future, a move that would help free up more equipment to be put back into revenue service.

Whether this testing goes well or not, it’s still clear that the extended service life of this equipment is limited and fleet replacement plans will need to continue moving ahead. VIA has begun this process and issued a request for information to interested suppliers earlier this year, but a formal procurement can’t get underway without government funding commitments. The 2023 federal budget didn’t offer anything for fleet replacement, though the budget does allocate $210 million over five years to “conduct maintenance on its trains on routes outside the Québec City–Windsor Corridor and to maintain levels of service across its network.” It’s not yet clear what this funding will actually cover, how much will be focused on the required repairs from the testing outcomes, or how much might be allocated to further refurbishment work. Regardless, the end of the line is still within sight, and fleet replacement plans need to continue to stay on the radar is there is to be any long-term future or true modernization of VIA’s long distance services.

NO GOOD NEWS FOR RAIL IN SYDNEY PORT ANNOUNCEMENT

Novaporte CEO Albert Barbusci announced plans for an offshore wind turbine storage facility on part of the land where the Cape Breton Regional Municipality still hopes a container terminal will be built. PHOTO – Tom Ayers/CBC News

There was a significant announcement on March 23 concerning the proposed Novaporte development on Sydney harbour – but it didn’t do anything to assure a more secure future for Cape Breton’s dormant and derelict rail line.

Construction is expected to start this year on land that had been set aside in the Sydney harbour for a proposed container terminal, but it won’t be what the developer initially sought. Instead, Novaporte plans to build a facility on Cape Breton Regional Municipality land that will import parts for large offshore wind turbines.

Company CEO Albert Barbusci said that he’s still working on the container terminal project, but an opportunity came up in what many expect will be a burgeoning offshore wind industry, and it would fit in with a container terminal.

“Really what we’ve done is we’ve doubled down. We’ve doubled the opportunity,” Mr. Barbusci told CBC News. The wind turbine facility will be operated by Blue Water Shipping of Denmark, a company with 25 years experience in European offshore wind logistics.

Both the municipality and the Membertou First Nation, which purchased a one-eighth stake in Novaporte several years ago, were delighted at the announcement.

“This is the first time since I’ve been on council that we’ve seen such a significant move forward and the asset is actually going to be used now to create that value, to create that economic driver for our community,” said Mayor Amanda McDougall. “It’s not a container terminal, but it’s a start. Passing up an opportunity to get into the offshore wind industry to me would be such a shame. and we would be in the same place as Cape Breton was decades ago when we lost coal and steel.”

Mr. Barbusci said he expects construction to begin later this year, with the turbine marshalling area ready to begin operating in 2026. The container terminal proposal is ready to go, he said, but it needs a working railway. The wind turbine marshalling project does not need rail. Ships would deliver the large parts for storage, and companies building offshore wind farms would pick up the components and assemble them at sea. But he clearly hasn’t given up on the container terminal plan.

“We want jobs. We want revitalization, but we can’t ignore this green opportunity. It’s too good. It’s too big, and it really will get done.”

UNION DISSATISFIED AT HALIFAX TRANSIT DRIVER SAFEGUARDS

According to their union president, transit drivers in Halifax aren’t satisfied with the steps the municipality is taking to enhance their safety. Although transit violence isn’t generally widespread in Atlantic Canada, the union maintains that attacks on drivers are on the rise, and that HRM’s latest initiatives don’t go far enough. PHOTO – Halifax Transit

The Halifax Regional Municipality has invited quotes to supply a driver protection system aboard Halifax Transit’s buses, but the Amalgamated Transit Union says the plan doesn’t go far enough. Local 508 president Shane O’Leary told CBC News that the protection systems are a starting point for ensuring driver safety, but more needs to be done.

The municipality’s request for quotation issued on April 1 invites pricing on up to 370 units of “slide and stow” protection systems that have “a sliding partition that only the operator can adjust,” and “prevent sudden intrusion into the bus operator’s area,” among other requirements.

“The shields will help if they’re installed properly and done right and it’s a good quality shield. But that’s not enough,” Mr. O’Leary said in an interview, adding that attacks on transit drivers have been on the rise in recent years, and many have involved groups of youths. Creating a transit police force with the power to issue fines and remove passengers from buses would be a further step toward protecting transit operators, he said.

HRM spokesperson Maggie-Jane Spray said in an e-mailed statement to CBC that recently approved funding from the regional council in the upcoming budget year will mean that “all electric buses will be equipped with operator safety barriers when they arrive, beginning in late 2023.”

When asked if the city has kept a record of incidents of violence against drivers, she said the number of incidents “is difficult to quantify, as not all incidents of aggression or violence would meet the threshold for an incident report, as opposed to a situation involving an assault for which a Halifax Transit supervisor and/or police would be called.

CODIAC TRANSPO PROPOSES FREE RIDES FOR KIDS

Codiac Transpo is proposing to allow children under 13 to ride for free. But lest you feel they are trend-setting – think again. They are only following the lead of what Halifax and St. John’s already have in place. PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

Kids under 13 in the Greater Moncton area will likely be riding transit for free by the end of the summer. Codiac Transpo is proposing to eliminate fares for children when accompanied by an adult. Riverview and Dieppe councils have already approved the concept, and a presentation is planned at Moncton City Hall in the near future.

Angela Allain, head of Codiac Transpo told Riverview Council that offering free service to that cohort will get them accustomed to transit use, and help build ridership over the long term. She anticipates that increased transit usage will eventually offset the initial loss of farebox revenue.

It’s not exactly a unique idea, but rather part of a nationwide trend. Ms. Allain said 27 other transit systems in Canada already offer a similar youth fare concession. (Some systems are even more generous.) These include the TTC and Go Transit in Ontario, as well as Halifax Transit, St. John’s Metrobus, Island Transit and Charlottetown’s T3 here in the Atlantic region.

Currently children under six ride free on Codiac Transpo. The same applies on the Fredericton and Saint John systems. There’s no indication yet that the other two New Brunswick cities are proposing a similar initiative.
 
FIRE SHUTS DOWN ST. JOHN’S AIRPORT FOR TWO DAYS

The St. John’s Regional Fire Department descended on St. John’s Airport in full force on March 24 when a late-night fire broke out in the nearly-empty terminal building. There were no injuries, but there was sufficient smoke and water damage to force cancellation of all passenger operations in the building for nearly 48 hours. PHOTO – Keith Gosse/The Telegram

A late-night fire on Friday, March 24, caused significant smoke and water damage to the passenger terminal at St. John’s Airport – sufficient to put the facility out of business for almost two full days.

The outbreak is believed to have started around 11:30 pm in the ceiling above a children’s play area adjacent to gate 11. Staff were first alerted to the fire by smoke detector alarms and the facility was quickly evacuated as emergency responders located the blaze, airport CEO Dennis Hogan told the Telegram. The building was nearly empty at that late hour, and there were no injuries reported.

“There were some flames visible at one point in time and both our emergency fire responders here at the airport and St. John’s Regional (Fire Department) worked very diligently and quickly to suppress the fire and really contain it from going any further,” he said. Initially management had hoped to resume operations on Saturday, but it turned out that damage was more severe than initially thought, and flight operations did not resume until Sunday evening. Some 36 flights were impacted by the fire, but an undetermined number of others had already been cancelled due to a late winter storm.

Passengers board a PAL flight at the airline’s maintenance hangar on March 26th. Being locally based, they were able to move their passenger operations to the opposite side of the airport when fire shut down the terminal building, thereby minimizing disruption of their flight schedule. PHOTO – PAL Airlines

PAL Airlines was able to take advantage of being based in St. John’s by moving operations to its maintenance hangar, so the impact on its flights was minimal. All other airlines using YYT were completely out of business for the duration of the terminal closure. First flights resumed on Sunday evening, March 26.

Airport officials said the fire does not appear to have been of suspicious origin, but no cause has been released.
 
PORTER UPS THE ANTE ON ITS EASTERN PROMOTION

Porter Airlines is clearly aiming to cash in on WestJet’s retreat from eastern Canada, and the Atlantic region in particular. This recent customer e-mail suggests to travellers in this part of the country that WestJet has abandoned them, while Porter is committed to an ongoing. “Mr. Porter” is reaching out to members of the Calgary-based carrier’s frequent flyer plan, assuring that a warm welcome awaits them at VIP Porter. Image from Porter promotional e-mail

There’s further evidence this month that Porter Airlines is aggressively trying to build market share in Atlantic Canada. The upstart airline’s raccoon mascot – known as “Mr. Porter” – is reaching out to prospective and existing customers through social media posts and e-mail blasts to promote their frequent flyer plan and unique economy-class perks.  Clearly taking aim at WestJet, the ad material asks travellers if they are “feeling abandoned”, and assures them that Porter will match their status with the other carrier.

As we’ve reported earlier in this space, WestJet has drastically curtailed its services to Atlantic Canada in recent months, while Porter is increasing both frequency and the number of destinations served in the region.

Atlantic Transport News – February 2023

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Welcome to the (somewhat belated) February Atlantic Transport News.

Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE PROBES VIA’S HOLIDAY FAILURES

TAA president Tim Hayman made a virtual presentation and answered questions before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, as it probed VIA Rail’s abysmal performance over the Christmas travel period. PHOTO – ParlVU

Last month, we reported on the meltdown of VIA Rail services right ahead of Christmas 2022, including issues that left passengers stranded on the Ocean in both directions. TAA President Tim Hayman was one of those affected passengers, and took the opportunity to make a submission on behalf of TAA to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. Tim was then invited to appear before the committee on January 26, and took the opportunity to press the committee to look further into the issues that affected VIA’s performance, and identify ways to ensure that passengers aren’t left stranded in similar circumstances in future storms. This followed VIA’s testimony to the committee in the morning, where committee members grilled the Crown corporation on its performance.

You can watch the relevant section of the committee hearing here:  https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20230126/-1/38414

There was additional coverage of this issue on CBC’s Maritime Noon, and in interviews with Sackville’s CHFM, both of which you can find at the links below.

CBC Maritime Noon Interview: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-38-maritime-noon/clip/15962486-the-president-transport-action-atlantic-gives-testimony-house

CHFM Interview: https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/one-advocates-30-hour-ordeal-on-via-rail-and-his-call-for-a-fundamental-shift-in-passenger-rail/

CHFM web story: https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/30-hour-ordeal-on-vias-the-ocean-shines-a-light-on-need-for-fundamental-shift-in-passenger-rail/

VIA TAKES ANOTHER STEP IN LONG-HAUL RENEWAL PROCESS

With nearly 70 years of faithful service on their aging stainless steel carbodies, 1954-vintage Budd rolling stock like this still comprises the backbone of VIA’s long-haul fleet. Although the corporation has taken another step toward their long overdue replacement, there’s still no evidence of a funding commitment from the federal government, and VIA may have to coax another decade from them – or even more.
PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

In late January, VIA Rail took another incremental step towards procuring a replacement fleet for the ageing HEP1 and Renaissance equipment. The Crown corporation posted a Request for Information to MERX (the federal procurement platform) for renewal of the long distance, regional, and remote fleet (I.e. non-Corridor HEP/Ren fleet), titled “Notice of Market Consultation – Long Distance Regional and Remote”.

A few notable excerpts:

“VIA Rail intends to renew its existing long distance regional and remote fleet by selecting a supplier to design, manufacture, test, supply, deliver and commission cars and motive power and ancillary equipment (on-board and offboard) with a prescribed capacity of car types (seated coaches, sleeper, diners, multi-purpose, baggage) through an open competitive procurement process (the “Long Distance Regional and Remote Fleet Renewal Project”)”

”VIA Rail will proceed with pre-procurement activities regarding its Long Distance Regional and Remote Fleet Renewal Project. As part of these pre-procurement activities, VIA Rail intends to engage in consultations with motive power and rolling stock manufacturers to solicit feedback on VIA Rail’s proposed technical specifications, maintenance’s scope of work as well as commercial & contractual related terms (collectively the “Technical and Commercial Documents”).”

”Through this consultation, VIA Rail’s objective is to reduce the eventual in-market time ensure requirements clarity by continuing to work with motive power and rolling stock manufacturers through this consultative pre-procurement process to consider market input on both technical and commercial &contractual questions prior to the commencement of a formal procurement process.”

The submission deadline was February 17, 2023. To date, there has been no information about how many or which suppliers responded to the invitation, though VIA had previously held a market day for interested suppliers, which saw a number of interested parties take part. Amtrak is at a similar stage in their own long distance fleet procurement plans, taking the first steps towards a replacement for their Superliner equipment. According to Amtrak, as many as 10 suppliers have expressed interest. They plan to launch a formal procurement process later this year.

The timing of the planned Amtrak and VIA orders could prove beneficial, as the larger potential order makes a very appealing case for a manufacturer to bid with a product that would suit the needs of both operators. For Amtrak, funding is already in place to begin this process; in contrast, VIA’s progression to a formal procurement process (RFQ/RFP and contract award) will of course be dependent on government funding. TAA has made a pre-budget submission to the federal government, with funding for a new VIA long distance fleet as our top priority. With the existing equipment continuing to deteriorate and long lead times for new equipment, VIA needs to be given the go ahead before it’s too late.

NO REASON FOR WORRY ABOUT ATLANTIC TRANSIT SECURITY

…but homelessness issues cause concern

Metrobus had recently threatened to remove transit shelters in locations where homeless people had set up camp, but the agency was overruled by St. John’s City Hall. Despite issues involving the homeless population, Atlantic Canada overall has seen very few of the kind of unfortunate incidents that have been widely reported on the TTC and some other big-city transit systems.
PHOTO VOCM News

Atlantic Canadians have no reason to be unduly concerned about their personal safety and security when riding the region’s public transit systems.  That’s the opinion widely shared by both operators and advocates around the region. There’s been a lot of negative publicity lately about ugly and violent incidents on the Toronto Transit Commission’s subways, streetcars and buses, but it would appear to be a trend that’s fortunately confined to the nation’s largest cities.

The biggest issue confronting transit agencies in this part of the country stems from the rising urban problem of homelessness.  The matter came to a head in St. John’s in early February, when Metrobus Transit gave notice that it planned to remove two transit shelters in proximity to The Gathering Place, a long-standing agency offering support to those in need, ostensibly because people had been using them for “sleeping rough”.

Two transit users interviewed on Military Road told the Telegram they’d witnessed a situation in which someone had moved into one of the bus shelters. They said the person had covered the exposed areas of the shelter near the ground to keep out the wind, had taped cardboard around the bottom of the shelter, and had laid cardboard on the ground inside, which acted as a barrier from the cold, damp sidewalk.

Reaction to the Metrobus notice was swift and negative, and City Hall promptly ordered a reversal, while launching an initiative to seek less drastic solutions. But it’s a problem that’s not unique to St. John’s. Both Moncton’s Codiac Transpo and Fredericton Transit have been challenged by homeless people taking over shelters while waiting passengers have to stand outside in the weather. Charlene Sharpe, transit manager for Fredericton, says the city police have been fully supportive in dealing with these issues, including removing individuals occupying the shelters. Halifax Transit is also apparently keeping a close eye on the matter, but executive director Dave Reage didn’t want to upstage a report he will be giving to HRM Council in early March, so he declined comment for the time being.  

David Brake, head of the Essential Transit Association in St. John’s (and also a TAA board member), expressed concern that negative publicity over safety on buses is over-stated, and could in fact be a key barrier to getting more people to consider using transit. “No Atlantic province has a transit system anything like the TTC, whose safety problems are likely a function both of its scale and of being in a large city,” he says.

Codiac Transpo operations manager Alex Grncarovski agrees wholeheartedly. He brought many years of TTC experience with him to Moncton, and he says the operating environments are really worlds apart. Fredericton’s Charlene Sharpe, who also previously worked for the TTC, holds a similar view.

“I can honestly say there’s no comparison to what’s going on in Toronto, versus the Maritimes.” Mr. Grncarovski says. “Assaults toward employees and customers have always been a problem at the TTC. Security cameras were brought in due to the union local requesting greater protection for employees. This is also the reason operator safety barriers were also installed. Once the cameras were started, the TTC was committed to charge people assaulting employees, to the full letter of the law. They hired people to attend court and encourage the Crown in obtaining fullest punishment towards perpetrators. This could be jail time and or lifetime ban from the system. Their pictures were posted at each location advising employees that if the person seen in the picture is observed attempting to board the system they were to immediately call and request police.”

One of seven security cameras in a typical installation on a Codiac Transpo bus. Transit agencies around the region are saying this visual monitoring is not a response to any significant increase in violent incidents, but is primarily a tool to promote safety and security and to aid in accident investigation. The presence of the cameras, however, will clearly also act as a deterrent to any potential misbehaviour.
PHOTO Codiac Transpo

Nevertheless, Codiac Transpo is in the process of installing security cameras on board its vehicles, and Fredericton Transit recently completed a similar installation on its entire fleet. “However it was not due to an escalation in violence,” says Charlene Sharpe. “We installed cameras for accidents and incidents in general, as well as part of the new community camera program for the City. It does provide an added assurance to our operators and customers, and is seen more as a preventative measure as there have been very few incidents over the years.”

“CCTV cameras are an increasingly common tool used by public transit to assure the security of customers and employees and we are pleased to see this project go forward,” says Moncton deputy mayor Bryan Butler, who is also a retired police officer. “We appreciate the support we received through the Small Communities Fund. It would be difficult to implement larger-scale improvements in a transit system of our size without that type of assistance.” Installation on the entire Codiac Transpo fleet is expected to be complete by year-end.

-Ted Bartlett

NEW SAINT JOHN TRANSIT SERVICE HAS ENCOURAGING START

This is one of the 20-foot electric buses leased by Saint John Transit for an on-demand trial on lightly used routes. Nearly 1500 riders gave the new service a try in its first month of operation. PHOTO Emma McPhee/Brunswick News

A new concept aimed at bringing improved and expanded service to lightly-used routes was launched by Saint John Transit on January 9 – and from all appearances it’s off to a great start. FLEX is an on-demand service that goes to stops where it’s requested within a zone, instead of following a fixed route. For example, the new West FLEX zone includes all areas previously covered by fixed routes 13 and 14, covers a wider area than the former full-sized bus service, and operates for longer hours.

Riders can schedule a bus pickup at their nearest transit stop either by using a smartphone app or simply calling Saint John Transit. Nearly 1500 people gave the new concept a try during its first month up to February 9, transit director Ian MacKinnon told the Telegraph Journal. That works out to an average of about 55 people a day. He said 455 customers had already downloaded the app.

Transit planners believe that FLEX will deliver better service for riders by allowing them to travel when they want. This service is currently available all day Monday to Friday from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, as well as from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm on Saturdays. The intent is to provide service within half an hour of a rider’s request.  

Saint John Transit conducted a successful pilot of an electric Karzan Jest bus last summer on various routes. Six of these late model, 20-passenger buses have been leased for the FLEX service, and the city has an option to purchase the vehicles if the initiative proves successful.

MARINE ATLANTIC OFFERS TRAVELLERS OFF-SEASON DEAL

No general rate increase has yet been announced for 2023

There’s still no sign of any general rate increase for Marine Atlantic ferry users this year, but off-season travellers will have the opportunity to save 25% on trips taken up to June 30. IMAGE – Marine Atlantic Twitter

There’s nothing official, but it appears as if users of the Marine Atlantic ferry between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia may not be facing a rate increase in 2023 – and there’s some good news for off-season travellers this spring. The Crown corporation has been under standing orders from Transport Canada to achieve 65% cost recovery, but it appears that the growing pushback against this demand may be having some effect on the political masters in Ottawa. In past years there was typically an announcement about rates in January or February, just prior to the start of the federal government’s new fiscal year. So far in 2023 there’s been nothing.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra made much ado about providing federal funding to eliminate the expected toll increase on the Confederation Bridge this year, but there’s been no similar mention of the ferry crossing to Newfoundland – even though the minister met recently with his provincial counterpart in St. John’s. Both the bridge and the ferry are constitutional obligations of the Government of Canada. This may mean that the cost recovery requirement for Marine Atlantic has been quietly placed in abeyance for another year; it almost certainly does not mean that it has been shelved permanently.

Transport Action Atlantic has been at the forefront of a campaign to have ferry rates reduced to be consistent with what is widely believed to be the intent of the 1949 Terms of Union under which Newfoundland became the 10th Canadian province – namely that the cost of moving people and goods across the Cabot Strait should be equal to that of land transportation over the same distance. While in opposition, Justin Trudeau castigated the Harper Conservatives for imposing the 65% cost recovery demand on the ferry service, but since gaining office in 2015 the Liberals have done nothing to change the policy.

But for now the good news is that passengers travelling between Port aux Basques and North Sydney – along with their vehicles – will be eligible for a 25% fare reduction for travel until June 30. Apart from being applicable to new bookings only, there are relatively few restrictions on this off-peak incentive. It even applies to the first seven sailings on the seasonal service between North Sydney and Argentia. Customers have until midnight on April 5 to make reservations under this promotion.

It would appear that Marine Atlantic is offering the discount deal to maximize revenue during a period when it typically has excess capacity. It’s the second such discount incentive offered in recent months, the last one being the “Black Friday” sale which covered travel during the late fall and early winter, including the Christmas-New Year holiday period. This time, however, it extends over a longer time period, and the booking window is much wider.

PORTER LAUNCHES JET SERVICE FROM HALIFAX TO PEARSON

New Charlottetown-Ottawa service also announced

Porter Airlines is now offering two choices for travel between Halifax and Toronto with the February 23 inauguration of non-stop jet service to Pearson using its new 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Porter’s Q-400 turboprop flights from YHZ to the downtown Billy Bishop Airport will continue. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Another domestic travel option is now being offered from Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Porter Airlines introduced a new direct service to and from Toronto Pearson, using its new 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft on February 23.  The airline officially took delivery of the first two of a planned 50 medium-range jets from the Brazilian manufacturer in December, becoming the first North American carrier to fly this model. Porter has chosen to configure the cabin with 132 seats – 14 fewer than the maximum the plane is designed for. In addition to more personal space, the airline claims this aircraft will offer every passenger an elevated economy experience that includes no middle seats, complimentary beer and wine served in real glassware, a selection of premium snacks, and free, fast wifi.

Meanwhile, Porter has just announced the addition of another Atlantic Canada city to its expanding service map. It will be launching direct service between Ottawa and Charlottetown as of May 17. 

The new daily, non-stop route is to be served by the tried-and-true 78-seat Q-400 turboprop aircraft.

“Porter is continuing to invest in regional flying across Eastern Canada,” said Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “Charlottetown is an entirely new destination for us and the addition of Prince Edward Island means that Porter is serving every Atlantic Canada province for the first time.” Porter is already flies to Moncton, Fredericton, Halifax and St. John’s

“We are thrilled to welcome Porter Airlines to YYG and Prince Edward Island,” said Charlottetown Airport CEO Doug Newson, “Islanders and visitors alike have been requesting Porter for many years, so it is extremely rewarding for us to be able to announce this today. This new non-stop service to Ottawa will not only provide convenient access to the nation’s capital, but will also allow travellers the opportunity to connect to Porter’s expanding network at Ottawa International Airport.”

Atlantic Transport News – October 2022

Posted on

Welcome to the October edition of Atlantic Transport News.

Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

RECORD-BREAKING STORM HITS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Fallen trees and other widespread storm damage in the wake of hurricane Fiona shut down both urban and rural transit on PEI for a full four days. The cleanup and recovery effort was hampered by numerous downed power lines, with many households still without electricity two weeks after the storm. PHOTO – Sheehan Desjardins/CBC

“Conditions are like nothing we’ve ever seen,” Charlottetown Police Services tweeted on the night of September 23-24, as hurricane Fiona smashed into Atlantic Canada, leaving a widespread swath of devastation stretching from southeast New Brunswick to the southwest corner of Newfoundland. That was probably an understatement. Fiona was indeed the storm of a lifetime, and its aftereffects will surely be felt for many months to come. In fact, many structures demolished by the high winds and heavy seas will likely never be rebuilt.

Transportation services throughout the region ground to a halt. On PEI, one of the hardest hit areas, both T3 Transit in Charlottetown and the Island Transit rural network remained shut down for a full four days. Mike Cassidy, owner of Coach Atlantic which operates both services under contract, said they realized early Saturday morning as the storm subsided that they “weren’t going anywhere”. Not only were streets and highways blocked by fallen trees and downed power lines, but there was a potential serious issue with refuelling their vehicles. With the power knocked out virtually everywhere, there would be no way to replenish when the gasoline or diesel on board was exhausted. On Monday, the third day after Fiona hit, he said there were lineups stretching two kilometres at the few fuel pump locations with power. It was Tuesday before scheduled transit service was resumed.

The intercity routes operated by Maritime Bus in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were only out of action for one day, but the effects on the company’s charter business presented a much larger financial challenge. Numerous cruise ship visits and multi-day tours were thrown into chaos, resulting in a substantial hit to the company’s bottom line, Mr. Cassidy said, adding that the impact was severe throughout the tourism and hospitality industry – something it did not need as it struggles to recover from more than two years of COVID-induced losses.

Stevedores secured MV Leif Ericson to the dock in Port aux Basques as Fiona headed their way. Although the seaport town was devastated with numerous buildings destroyed and one fatality reported, Marine Atlantic’s vessels and terminals sustained no significant damage.
SUBMITTED PHOTO – Marine Atlantic

Another location lashed by the full fury of Fiona’s wrath was the ferry terminal town of Port aux Basques on Newfoundland’s southwest coast. Homes that had stood on the edge of the Cabot Strait for generations were washed away by the record storm surge. Two residents were carried away by gigantic waves, but one was miraculously rescued. Tragically the other was not. While iconic images of the devastation were seen around the world, the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal and the two vessels tied up there reported no significant damage. Company spokesperson Darrell Mercer said planning for the oncoming storm involved docking two vessels in both North Sydney and Port aux Basques, with extra mooring lines securing all four.

“We’re going to be losing a number of sailings this weekend,” he told Saltwire News. “We expect there’s going to be significant demand next week to travel, especially from a commercial perspective. So, having two vessels in each port will allow us to resume operations fairly quickly and move as much traffic as we can fairly quickly,” It was not until Sunday evening that normal schedules resumed. The storm forced cancellation of the final round trip of the season between North Sydney and Argentia.

Air service started returning to normal on Saturday, with no significant damage reported to airport infrastructure. VIA Rail cancelled its departures of the Ocean from both Halifax and Montreal on Friday, and when service resumed on Sunday there were substantial delays as power outages had knocked out numerous grade crossing warning signals, requiring manual protection of train movements.

-Ted Bartlett

VIA “BUFFER CARS” ORDER HIGHLIGHTS DESPERATE NEED FOR NEW FLEET

Early evidence of the new “buffer” policy, as VIA 73 arrives at Brantford ON on Oct. 17th. Normally a fully HEP2 consist, the tail end is followed up with an LRC car as added protection. An additional LRC car is included at the head end between the locomotive and the first HEP2 car. PHOTO – Tim Hayman

In what seemed to be a rather abrupt development, news broke last week of a new policy at VIA Rail – all trains operating with either HEP1 or HEP2 stainless steel equipment, cars built in the 1940s and 1950s by the Budd company and refurbished by VIA Rail, would be required to operate with “buffer” cars at either ends of the consist. Depending on the train, these may either be unoccupied HEP (“Head End Power”) cars, an unoccupied locomotive, or other equipment. It was not immediately clear what prompted this decision, but more news has been forthcoming in the days since, culminating with a ministerial order directing VIA Rail to operate with this practice until several tests are complete.

The origins of this operating change began in 2020, when structural deficiencies were discovered in several HEP cars during a rebuilding program. This resulted in the cancellation of a more comprehensive rebuild of 17 HEP1 coaches by Bombardier, and also prompted an immediate inspection of the entire HEP fleet. By chance, these inspections took place when nearly the entire fleet was sidelined due to the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing VIA to complete the work with minimal service disruptions. Following these inspections, VIA hired engineering consulting firm Hatch to prepare a more thorough inspection and report on the state of the equipment.

It was the completion of this report that prompted the sudden change in operating practices. While Hatch and VIA have deemed the cars safe to continue operating, the inspections raised serious concerns about the crashworthiness of the nearly 70-year old cars, and the buffer car solution has been implemented as a temporary measure while additional simulations, tear-down inspections, compression-testing, and repairs can be completed.

On October 19, Transport Canada published a ministerial order requiring that VIA implement this buffer practice (though it had already done so a week earlier), and further requiring an engineering simulation by the end of October; a tear-down inspection of four defective cars by January 31, 2023; compression tests on at least two unrepaired cars by January 31, 2023, with a report on how this will inform future repairs; a full report on these tests by March 31, 2023; and finally, a compression test on a fully repaired car to inform and validate the repair methodology, due by December 31, 2023. Presumably, successful tests should allow VIA to end the use of buffer cars, but it is not at all clear at which point in the process this might be allowed.

The immediate implications of this new policy will stretch fleet availability, as all HEP consists must be lengthened with the addition of buffers. In the case of the Canadian, a buffer car behind the Park car will be at least a minor inconvenience to passengers hoping to enjoy the view from the rear of the train. On the Skeena, the Jasper-Prince Rupert train, it seems that the Park car will simply be off limits to passengers instead of operating with a buffer. Baggage cars serving as head-end buffers will not be able to be occupied by crew during the trip, which has also resulted in VIA not allowing pets in baggage cars for the time being.

In the east, the current Ocean consist, despite all of its shortcomings, will be relatively immune to this change. The HEP end of the train is already bracketed by a baggage car at one end and Renaissance equipment at the other end, so the only operational change is the end of pets being allowed in the baggage car. Presumably, they could be accommodated in the Renaissance baggage car instead, but it is not at all clear if VIA is considering this. There may also be some limit on available equipment, particularly as consists need to expand around the holidays and into next summer, presuming this requirement remains in place for an extended period of time.

The current Ocean consist already features an unoccupied baggage car on the HEP-end of the train, as seen here at Moncton last December, so there’s no need for a change to the operation; but the baggage car is now off-limits even to pets, and HEP fleet capacity may be strained as cars are needed as buffers elsewhere. PHOTO – Tim Hayman

Beyond any of these temporary issues, the much more significant concern that this highlights is the ongoing deterioration of the HEP fleet, which remains the backbone of all VIA services outside the Corridor. New equipment from Siemens will replace the HEP2s and few HEP1s in the Corridor within a few years, but there is still no committed funding or order in place to replace the long distance fleet. To date, the only serious plan was to continue funding incremental refurbishments to try to keep the 70 year old cars hobbling along indefinitely. Now more than ever, it is readily apparent that their time is running out, and in the absence of a replacement order in the immediate near future, VIA may soon find itself with no choice but to shut down service to the majority of the country.

An order for new equipment should have been placed years ago, but absent the ability to step back in time, VIA needs to be authorized to proceed with a procurement process as soon as possible. A business case for a new long distance fleet has reportedly been prepared by VIA and submitted to Transport Canada for consideration; hopefully, this very public display of the dire state of the HEP fleet will help convince the government to let VIA move Canadians from coast to coast into the 21st century, not merely those between Windsor and Quebec City. Time is quickly running out.

-Tim Hayman

WESTJET OVERSEAS PLANS FOR 2023 REMAIN UNCLEAR

The Halifax International Airport Authority is still in discussion with WestJet about the possibility of overseas flights from Stanfield Airport in 2023, but there’s no indication yet if any of the Calgary-based airline’s non-stop trans-Atlantic routes from YYT will be returning next year. PHOTO John McArthur/Unsplash

If you’ve been visiting WestJet’s website with an eye to booking a direct overseas flight from Halifax Stanfield International Airport next year and keep coming up empty-handed, apparently you shouldn’t give up just yet. The airport authority says it is still in discussions with WestJet about their 2023 summer season routes from YHZ.

“To our knowledge, no decisions have been made,” says spokesperson Tiffany Chase, “which is why you wouldn’t be able to see what will be available in the system yet. We hope there will be news on this in the next couple of weeks as they finalize their plans for next year.”

In previous years the Calgary-based airline has been offering direct flights from Halifax to London Gatwick, Paris, Dublin and Glasgow from May to October. Some of the schedules terminated earlier than planned in 2022, ostensibly due to operational issues such as crew shortages. But in June the company’s new CEO announced a major refocusing of their service offerings, which involve going back to their western Canada roots where they enjoy a substantial market share. Some industry analysts have expressed the view that WestJet has been less successful in competing with Air Canada in eastern and overseas markets, suggesting that they are essentially giving up fighting a war they cannot possibly win.

More recently, WestJet announced it would be suspending flights between Halifax and St. John’s for almost four months this coming winter and early spring. It’s believed to be the first time the airline has not offered service on that route since they first started flying in Atlantic Canada some 25 years ago. However, they evidently plan to reinstate the service beginning April 30, as online bookings are now being accepted for two return WestJet Encore Q400 flights daily between YHZ and YYT.

Also returning on the same date is service between Charlottetown and Toronto Pearson, initially four times per week but ramping up to daily in July. Interestingly, this restored service will feature Boeing 737 jets, as will a returning daily service between Sydney and YYZ beginning in August. There is no indication yet as to if or when the airline will restore service between Fredericton and Toronto. Service will continue through the winter on a reduced basis between Moncton and Pearson.

MV HOLIDAY ISLAND TO BE SCRAPPED

The MV Holiday Island, a veteran of the Caribou NS – Wood Islands PEI ferry crossing, has sailed for the last time. Three months following the dramatic fire and evacuation of the ferry on its July 22, 2022 crossing, Transport Canada has issued a tender for the disposal of the vessel. According to the posted tender, the successful bidder will have until November 30 to remove the vessel from its berth at Wood Islands, and until February 28, 2024 to complete the ship breaking (disposal) work.

The replacement for the 52-year old Holiday Island is already on order, but is not expected to be delivered until 2027. In the interim, Northumberland Ferries intends to continue with a 2-vessel service through some form of vessel lease, similar to the arrangement with Quebec’s Saaremaa I over the last few months of the 2022 season. It is not yet clear, however, whether there will be opportunity to continue a lease of the Saaremaa I, or if a different vessel will be brought in for the 2023 sailing season.

TRANSIT CAPE BRETON STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH RIDSERSHIP GROWTH

Ridership increases are good news for any transit agency, but rapid ridership growth can result in capacity being unable to keep pace with demand. Such is the case with Cape Breton’s transit agency, which has seen ridership increase four-fold in the last 5 years. Much of the ridership growth has been tied to increased enrollment at Cape Breton University, thanks in large part to more international students coming to Cape Breton to study.

As CBC reports, riders are now frequently finding themselves left on the side of the road as full buses pass, unable to pick up more passengers. With buses running on a half-hour (or less frequent) schedule, full buses make the system increasingly difficult to use, and may leave some students seeking out cars or other options to get around.

The municipality is evidently aware of the issue and would like to add capacity to the bus fleet, but few buses are available to bring in on such a rapid timeframe. Further, funding for that sort of capital investment may be limited, particularly for conventional diesel buses. Cape Breton is investigating the viability of adding electric buses to the fleet, but that isn’t likely to proceed quickly enough to be able to address the current crunch.

MARINE ATLANTIC MARKS SOMBRE ANNIVERSARY

Eighty years ago this month, the Newfoundland Railway’s flagship SS Caribou became a casualty of war while en route from North Sydney to Port aux Basques. IMAGE FROM TWITTER @MAferries

The harsh reality of the Battle of the Atlantic came home with a vengeance across Newfoundland on October 14, 1942. The Newfoundland Railway ferry SS Caribou had sailed from North Sydney at 2145 the previous evening. In the pre-dawn darkness, about 25 nautical miles from Port aux Basques, a torpedo fired from a German U-boat struck her amidships on the starboard side. The mortally wounded vessel sank in just five minutes, with only 101 survivors among the 237 passengers and crew on board. The dead included 31 of the ships officers and crew, 56 military personnel, and 48 civilain passengers.

Among those lost were veteran Captain Benjamin Taverner, and his two sons Stanley and Harold, both of whom were deck officers. Some 20 years after the tragedy, Canadian National, which had inherited the ferry operation upon Confederation in 1949, named a new coastal vessel Taverner in their honour. And when a new superferry, custom-designed for service between North Sydney and Port aux Basques, was being built in 1985, it was decided that she should bear the Caribou name. When the new flagship of the fleet made her maiden voyage in May 1986, all known survivors of the 1942 tragedy were invited along for the voyage. At daybreak, 25 miles from Port aux Basques, the superferry stopped, and one of the invited guests threw a wreath overboard at her namesake’s final resting place.

Lest we forget.

-Ted Bartlett