PORT AUX BASQUES, Nfld. (Sept. 30, 2004) — Fed up with what he says are ongoing loading and scheduling delays at Marine Atlantic’s ferry terminals, Bonavista Bay owner-op Clyde Bungay rallied about 70 other drivers to stage a protest against the ferry operator last week. Unfortunately, the demonstration didn’t get him on the ship any faster. It got him banned.

Bungay, who was hauling a $300,000 load of crab to Montreal, said he was not allowed to board the ferry in Port Aux Basques, Nfld. to North Sydney, N.S. yesterday. He says his boss was notified of the two-week ban and called him. When he contacted RCMP in Port Aux Basques, they confirmed he’d be arrested if he stepped on Marine Atlantic property.

“The officer I spoke to said I should turn around and go home, because I’d be arrested if I went there,” says Bungay, adding he had to switch trailers with a colleague to get the load across the gulf.

Bungay says the ban is punishment for his role in a protest the weekend before. He and about 70 other drivers slowed down loading procedures by walking across the terminal entrance in protest for what he says is a ‘poorly-run system.”

The 20-year veteran trucker told Today’s Trucking the company hasn’t taken steps to resolve what he says are unreasonable loading delays with the ferry’s roll-on tractor-trailer service. He says Marine Atlantic should operate another boat and separate roll-on trucks with drop-on trailers, which Bungay says take too much time to load on and off and eat up capacity for the drive-on truckers.

Asked why no other drivers were banned, Bungay says he was singled out because he’s known to have criticized the operator in the past. “I’m a very outspoken person,” he said. “They know me. They figured they could make an example out of me. They thought if they can get Clyde then the rest of the guys will go away with their tail between their legs.”

Marine Atlantic President CEO Roger Flood, admits Bungay is known to the company because he’s led such protests in the past. He strongly denies Bungay was banned to intimidate other drivers, but instead 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.”

Flood adds he was notified of Bungay and the issues the driver has with Marine Atlantic when he became CEO last year. “I called him and spoke to him personally, and told him if he had any problem with Marine Atlantic, don’t run off and take action, come talk to me,” Flood said in an interview with Today’s Trucking. “Our company has a standing offer to Mr. Bungay. Not one single time in the last 12 months has he picked up the offer to talk to us.”

The ferry’s chief also denies Bungay’s assertion that 24 to 36-hour wait times are common. While such delays do happen — as was the case last week when the remnants of hurricane Ivan caused some severe weather in the Atlantic region — those situations are rare, says Flood.

While certain crossings may be full depending on the day and time, Flood says 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, as Bungay asserts.

Asked if he was going to lead any more protests when he’s allowed to resume using the ferry service, Bungay said it was not in the best interest of his livelihood to do so. However, “when I’m off their property,” he says, “I can say whatever I want in my criticism of Marine Atlantic.”