THE WAVE

BC Ferries' Employee Newsletter FALL 2006

MEET THE KUPER!

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 Page 10 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

IN MEMORIAM
Marilyn BC Ferry Baker, Authority former Board

THE KUPER MAKES A SPLASH

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. 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 Dereks family and friends. We send our condolences to Lillians family
Preparing to launch the Kuper at Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver.

2 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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.

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.

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.

IN MEMORIAM
Marilyn King passed away on September 23, 2006. Marilyn joined BC Ferries in 1985 and worked as the Supervisor of Fleet House until her retirement in April of 2003. We send our condolences to Marilyn's family and friends. Building Service Workers at

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. and friends. We send our condolences to Barrys family

WHATS 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 YEARS

Were adding seven new vessels to the fleet in the next three years, marking the largest capital expansion program in our companys 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, were 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.

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 Jims family and friends.

3 THE WAVE Fall 2006

In Spirit

early of

October, British

my

husband and I boarded the Columbia with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Upon reaching the passenger deck, my brotherin-law had a heart attack.

A BERTH IS BORN AT SWARTZ BAY

On 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 companys 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 Cclass 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.

4 THE WAVE Fall 2006

Cheryl Morgan, Hospitality Cashier, was called to the scene and arrived within seconds along with Neil Hoekstra, Second Steward. the After Cheryl immediately questions. ASA, cleared the scene and asked appropriate administering

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-laws 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.

Please let Chris McDowell, Cus tomer Carrie S ales and Service Representative, and Watson, know Customer how very Relations,

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
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.

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

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

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

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

5 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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. is Our community experiencing

dramatic population growth and

6 THE WAVE Fall 2006

with that comes greater demand for transportation to and from the mainland. Unfortunately, some of the newer inhabitants dont 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
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.

A JOURNEY FROM GREECE TO THE NORTH COAST

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 midDecember, 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.

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

HERE COME THE SUPER Cs TERMINAL PREPARATIONS IN FULL SWING

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.

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. time. Thanks to them, we made it to the hospital on 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

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.

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 helpful, done! was and concerned, efficient. Well

$40 MILLION UPGRADE FOR THE QUEEN OF ALBERNI

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

-Victoria

I really found Trish Smiley, Customer to be Service very Officer, and I helpful

informative regarding my trip to and from Vancouver. think having customer service representatives onboard is a great idea for all customers and especially those who don't live

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.

in Vancouver or on the island. -Vancouver

7 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT

Each 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.

8 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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

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. Were 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.

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 husbands journey comfortable. She was all smiles and radiated competence. -Qualicum

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 customers 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 dont 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

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.

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. -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 Crisis averted!

Q. As an employee, Im 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 groups email (Customer.Relations@bcferries.com) and well make sure it reaches the correct person. Its 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.

9 THE WAVE Fall 2006

Prior Queen

to of

boarding Nanaimo

the 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. Renee Service Harbour, professional The chief The first aid officer, Savage, who and Customer Long both kind, quickly was very Attendant,

THE COASTAL RENAISSANCE IS ON THE CONSTRUCTION LINE

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. Its 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

10 THE WAVE Fall 2006

immediately treated my son. steward 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 Services Sargent, Terminal Long Attendant,

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

Construction on the Coastal Renaissance as of November 17.

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

Your shoes had a great voyage too bad you werent 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
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.

customers Glenn Adams

reply: and I

Dear

B Watch, my shoes thank you for the wonderful voyage. 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.

Assembling the subsections for one of the 88 sections.

11 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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.

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.

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:

I send my sincerest thanks to two of your off duty crew members who went far and above the call of duty. Duke Point on I was the sailing from Tsawwassen to 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. -Nanaimo They truly are good Samaritans.

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE FLEET

12 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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!

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 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.

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.

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

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 Leagues Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey Leagues 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, were 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 well celebrate each Salmon Kings goal by sounding a ships whistle and awarding prizes to lucky spectators seated in the Captains deck located in section 105.

Jill Bonneteau-Smith, Administrative Assistant, Communications, and her sons, Jake and Cole, joined in the fun in the Captains 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. Dont miss the next on-ice promotion taking place January 20!

GOLFING FOR A GOOD CAUSE

This 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.

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.

13 THE WAVE Fall 2006

My wife and I would like to thank the kindness of one of your ticket attendants at the Tsawwassen terminal. My father and motherin-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 -Sidney of your people.

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. able to access Logistiks 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.

14 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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

HOW TO GET STARTED

In early December, Logistik Unicorp will send all uniformed employees a startup information package that includes a measuring kit and detailed instructions on how to order uniform items. Dont 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.

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

DONT 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 gabe.tonin@bcferries.com or (604) 204-2214.

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.

A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR YOU

An innovative feature of the new uniform program is Logistiks measurementbased 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

A MEETING OF THE MINDS

On 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 vessels 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.

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 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 to a private toilet and cabin

Special thanks to Dino Silvano,

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.

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 He also Perhaps about follow-up care. use on my journey.

provided me with cold packs to 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.
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 vessels entire engineering team for their outstanding effort to improve the condition of the ship's bilges. Congratulations!

Many

thanks to Dino and BC Ferries for providing this service. -Ladysmith

15 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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

WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE BC COALITION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

In 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.

16 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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

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.

My

husband

and

I on

were the

recently

passengers

Queen of Oak Bay. refurbished ship. as well.

Our first

surprise onboard was the newly It was very nice and the service was great 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 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. Its gratifying for those of us representing the public to know that BC Ferries is as responsive as it is. Its fun working with BC Ferries; Im 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 dont 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.

AUTO TICKETING PILOT PROJECT

As an added convenience for our foot passenger customers, were 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 projects success to determine if automated ticketing should be expanded.
Liz Siddull, Customer Service Attendant, at the auto ticketing booths at Tsawwassen terminal.

"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 Your kind and generous nature is a positive reflection on all the employees at BC Ferries." Hornby Islands. Good work, Gary!

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

GETTING IN THE ZONE AT SWARTZ BAY

Swartz 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 BCs Sporting Life on the Coast travel assistance program.

17 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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 He had to his father who passed away over 18 years ago. 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 it had slipped Queen of Oak Bay when he discovered off his wrist. He went to the

TRANSAS TRAINING WITH CAPTAIN MILLIGAN

Over 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.

18 THE WAVE Fall 2006

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

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.

MORFITT SAFETY REVIEW

An 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.

JOINING FORCES FOR SAREX 2006

On Sunday, October 15, BC Ferries participated in the Canadian Coast Guards 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.

19 THE WAVE Fall 2006

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

This holiday season, were 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.

20 THE WAVE Fall 2006

Seasons Greetings

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?

Its time once again to unpack the decorations, unravel the strings of lights and pull on that Santa hat in preparation for this years 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.

THE WAVE

THE WAVE is looking for stories, events and photos from throughout the fleet. The next deadline for submissions is January 31, 2007.

Contact THE WAVE Erinn Grant, Editor 1112 Fort Street Victoria, BC V8V 4V2 Tel: 1-877-280-1419 Fax: (250) 978-1119 employees@bcferries.com