APTA calls on feds to stop Marine Atlantic rate increases

Avatar photo

DIEPPE, N.B. — The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association is calling on the Canadian government to halt announced rate increases by Marine Atlantic. The ferry operator warned APTA that effective Feb. 12, commercial vehicle rates will go up 4%, drop trailer management fees will increase by $50 (a 24% increase) and a security surcharge of $3.50 will be added to every load.

“They are throwing us an irrational and unjustified rate increase, but really they should look internally to find some efficiencies and stop passing the buck to the trucking industry,” said APTA executive director JeanMarc Picard in a release. “The commercial carriers are Marine Atlantic’s largest customers and without us they would not be able to sustain having a ferry service to serve the population in Newfoundland. Now they are making us pay for their mistakes and inadequacies and the federal government is supporting them. What a fiasco!”

Picard says the trucking industry and its customers would not be able to sustain the announced increases and warned of “huge repercussions” as a result.

“The federal government needs to step in and adjust the rate increase, but also put their foot down and put the right people in place to run an efficient ferry service. We have had enough,” Picard said. “It is difficult to understand how Marine Atlantic’s board of directors can allow for these increases to be approved. Are they not aware that Marine Atlantic’s staff also have a responsibility to control their costs and run efficiently? Passing costs to customers is an easy fix. This will hurt our economy, our Atlantic Canadian base trucking companies and Newfoundlanders.”

Avatar photo

Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry.


Have your say


This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.

*

  • Here we go again so early on in the new year with more increases, Every time the little guy scraping by to make a living and support his family the government comes along and keeps him back down. Newfoundland has enough money to run the ferries Let them absorb any increases. I wonder how much of a salary increase Marine Atlantic execs are getting this year, and Bonuses for coming up with this idea. It will drive freight costs to Newfoundland through the roof. And if owner operators even chose to go with our rising fuel costs every other week. The rates will have to change accordingly, and the shipper will have to pay all marine Atlantic costs both ways. But Marine Atlantic doesn’t care. As long as their execs make the big bucks.