PORT AUX BASQUES, Nfld. (Oct. 25, 2004) — Owner-ops continue to voice complaints about Marine Atlantic, despite the recent assurances from the Newfoundland-Nova Scotia ferry that the service is operating with little trouble.

Owner-op Duane McCarthy told the Western Star (Corner Brook) newspaper that recent comments by Marine Atlantic President and CEO Roger Flood that commercial vehicle services are running smoothly are not entirely accurate.

Flood told the newspaper — as well as Today’s Trucking magazine two weeks ago — that problems with the service, as claimed by independent operators, are exaggerated. Flood denied the assertions of some drivers that drop-on trailers are getting special attention, and eating up capacity for roll-on tractor-trailer traffic.

Flood told Today’s Trucking that the service runs at an average of 73 per cent capacity. If anything, Flood says, roll-on freight is sometimes given preferential treatment, not drop cargo, he said.

But McCarthy told the Western Star that he and other owner-ops are tired of being treated like a second-class citizens. “As far as the truckers are concerned, they’ve gone from poor service to no service,” he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “Right now, at this present moment, they’re putting drop trailers on the big ships and they’re leaving live traffic on the wharf.”

McCarthy said several times he was denied entry to Marine Atlantic’s big vessel, and was forced to wait all afternoon for the Atlantic Freighter. But they had filled the Freighter with drops, and only took four tractor-trailers when the ship has capacity for 12, he said. McCarthy then claims he had to wait until the next afternoon to cross.

The Corner Brook driver’s frustration was echoed late last month by Bonavista Bay owner-op Clyde Bungay, who rallied about 70 other truckers in staging a protest against Marine Atlantic. Bungay subsequently received a two-week ban for what the ferry described as being the ringleader of the demonstration.

Flood admitted that Bungay is known to the company because he’s led such protests in the past. But he strongly denies Bungay was banned to intimidate other drivers. Instead, he says, Bungay was banned because he had been warned several times that the company would not tolerate activities that obstructed operations. “That’s obstruction of our business,” he says. “Surely that’s reason for telling someone they’re not welcome.”

The incident led to recent meetings between the Owner-Operators’ Business Association of Canada and its Newfoundland caucus, the Newfoundland & Labrador Independent Truckers Association, and Marine Atlantic. The talks were intended to smooth over the operational and service concerns voiced by the frustrating truckers.

Flood admitted in that meeting that the crown corporation could do a better job in some of areas to improve service to its roll-on customers. He agreed to look at new ways of improving traffic flow and scheduling, addressing some safety concerns, and policy clarification.

But McCarthy questions how much effect the talks could have. “Part of the thing with the trucking associations is those fellows are not directly involved. It’s the drivers,” he told the Western Star.

— with files from the Western Star (Corner Brook)