NORTH SYDNEY, N.S. — The launch of Marine Atlantic’s commercial reservation system was supposed to improve service for truckers riding the east coast ferry, but at least one trucker says it’s just hiding the problem.

For years, the Crown Corporation has run two sailings a day between Port aux Basques, Nfld. and North Sydney, N.S. on a first come, first serve basis. In mid-March, Marine Atlantic launched its much-hyped reservation service for truckers to book space on the cargo ferry ahead of time.

The system is designed to give companies and carriers a more accurate estimate of travel and delivery times, along with providing a reserved space for trucks or units travelling. Marine Atlantic also hopes the booking system will translate to less downtime for drivers, less fuel consumption overall and reduced wait times.

But Duane ‘Jake’ McCarthy, a driver from Newfoundland, says the reservation system is having the opposite affect and increasing wait times. It’s just the wait times aren’t on Marine Atlantic property anymore.

"They are only letting two boatloads of reservations, so 40 to 50 trucks, in the parking lot at a time," says McCarthy. "Before, if there was a line up of trucks they could add an extra crossing. Now, with the trucks off the property it won’t happen."

"We’ll still have the same time issues and be just sitting around, just not on Marine Atlantic property," he adds. "The city of North Sydney and Port aux Basques don’t want trucks parked in their towns."

Some small carriers and owner-ops saying they’re
getting washed away by Marine Atlantic’s
reservation system. But the ferry says,
after some initial glitches, things are improving

McCarthy is also concerned that having to book a spot on the ferry days in advance will make it difficult for smaller companies, who don’t necessarily have dedicated routes to service customers, and operate on a call-by-call basis. Ultimately, McCarthy thinks the new system could push a lot of truckers out of the industry.

"I was in Ottawa last week and couldn’t get a reservation home until Thursday morning, so I wasted two days in Nova Scotia," he says. "The small companies won’t be able to keep their drivers. You used to be able to make three trips to Halifax one week and two the next, so 10 trips a month. Now, it’s one a week."

Marine Atlantic does reserve two spots on each crossing for last minute bookings, which become available 12 hours before the scheduled crossing. But those spots are double the cost of the normal fare and cannot be cancelled.

In an effort to ensure carriers stick to the reservation system, the ferry service has issued monetary penalties for a number of infractions like cancelling a booking 12 hours before a sailing, not arriving at the dock three hours before sailing, or having a different load arrive than the one that the space was reserved for.

But one problem that’s become apparent in the first couple of weeks of the reservation system is carriers making mass bookings, and then cancelling spots just prior to 12 hours before the sailing. As a result, a number of ferries are making their trips at only half capacity.

Tara Laing, communications with Marine Atlantic, told local media that 12 days into the new system it equated to 670 spots, or nine full loads on the Caribou vessel.

"It’s a huge change for the industry and for us here at Marine Atlantic," says Laing. "We’ve identified some challenges and we’re working on fixing them, and working with the industry as well."

Jean Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, agrees there were some bumps during the first couple of weeks, but does credit Marine Atlantic for working with the industry to try and fix them.

"It’s been a learning experience and a tough one," he says. "Their intentions were good, but we’re in a period of adaptation."

The APTA would like to see more availability of short-term reservations, while McCarthy would like to see another sailing added.

"We don’t need a reservation system. What we want and need is more crossings. You get in line and get on the boat," notes McCarthy. "We need three ships a day, every day, year round. We need to move freight."

"And we’re not even busy yet, it’s not lobster season or seafood season," he adds.

As for the APTA, they’re not entirely sure an extra crossing would be possible.

"We’ve talked about it and we’re always supportive of increased capacity," says Picard. "But they’re up and down throughout the year and could they support another sailing? I don’t know."