Small guys unsatisfied with Marine Atlantic changes

NORTH SYDNEY, N.S. — Despite recent changes to Marine Atlantic’s controversial reservation system, some small trucking companies aren’t convinced overall service will be improved.

According to local media, small truck operators on the east coast don’t think changing the deadlines for reservation cancellations and to the check-in time, as well as launching online reservations will solve the underlying capacity issues.

The Crown Corporation’s new commercial reservation system was launched in mid-March. Before the reservation system was put in place, Marine Atlantic operated for decades on a first-come, first-serve basis with two sailings per day between North Sydney, N.S. and Port aux Basques, Nfld.

In the first few months of the system’s operation, many truckers have requested the reservation system be scrapped all together, in favour of the former system.

Some of the concern among the trucking community was caused by some larger carriers making block bookings and then cancelling a number of their reserved spots if freight didn’t materialize. After reviewing the new commercial reservation system, Marine Atlantic instituted a handful of changes this week in an effort to make more spaces available on each sailing for small truck operators.

However, not everyone is convinced it will work.

Karen Peckford, office manager for Double G Trucking, told  media she likes the idea of a commercial reservation system, but in practice, it doesn’t work.

She says she still spends about half her day on the phone and online trying to make changes to get the crossings her trucks need. The company currently has four trucks on the mainland and there isn’t a reservation spot on the ferry until July 8.

Peckford points out that if there are no spots available having an online reservation system doesn’t make a difference.

The problem for Peckford and Double G isn’t the reservation system itself, it’s capacity.

While the company figures Marine Atlantic will be able to improve the system in time it doesn’t solve the problem of not having enough spaces to get trucks across the bay at the pace they need to be productive.

One suggestion  from truckers is to throw in an additional sailing and have three crossings per day instead of two to add more capacity.

The first solution from Marine Atlantic, however, will be new vessels, which the ferry service hopes will alleviate some of the capacity issues.