I am calling on BC Ferries to create a system to prioritize passengers traveling on official medical business under the Travel Assistance Program (TAP). Please join me in asking BC Ferries to reserve a guaranteed travel lane at the ferry terminals for passengers traveling to and from medical services with pre-authorized pink TAP forms AND to load the cars carrying these passengers into the appropriate lane so that they will be first cars to be off-loaded from the ferry when it docks.

Background

Residents of coastal and island communities in British Columbia must travel on BC Ferries to receive most medical care not provided by a General Practitioner or Nurse Practitioner. These services include diagnostics, surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy treatments.  

Ferries are busy - especially during peak seasons. Passengers are boarded on a first come-first served basis. If you miss your ferry for a medical appointment, implications to your health could be severe - re-booking your appointment could take months and financial penalties may be applied.

The financial burden of travel is recognized by the Ministry of Health and the basic financial cost of ferry travel is covered through the Travel Assistance Program (TAP). Eligible passengers receive a pink slip to use for payment on the required ferry.

The cost of travel for medical reasons reaches far beyond the wallet. Even in the best of health, travel is stressful, time consuming and exhausting. 

People traveling for medical appointments are not well. They are managing either a short or long-term health crisis. Their ability to work is affected, their enjoyment of life is disrupted and they are often in pain, sleep deprived, stressed, nauseous, anxious etc.

If they have children, they are struggling to keep up with their parenting responsibilities. To get kids to and from school, to make time for grocery shopping, to arrange for childcare, to arrange for transport of their children to and from activities. 

If they are employed, they are acutely aware of the burden they place on their employers. They are doing their best to minimize disruption to their families, workplace or their business.  

We can support people facing medical challenges. We can ease the burden. We can reduce stress and anxiety. We can give them guaranteed boarding and priority off-loading on ferries.

A Recent Example 

The other day I was taking a friend of mine for radiation - traveling from Salt Spring Island to the Cancer Agency at Royal Jubilee Hospital. A trip she must make each and every weekday for four consecutive weeks.  

The appointment was at 11:15 am. We both had to get our kids off to school and then rush to the line-up for the 9:50 ferry. We need to be there by 8:50 at the latest to ensure passage. We arrived at 8:55. Luckily we made it but it was a close call. The line for the ferry was already close to capacity.

The ferry was 15 minutes late to load. This reduced the amount of time we had to drive to the hospital. We needed to be in the center lane of the ferry to ensure we would be the first to drive off the ferry. We were going to be late for the appointment.

As we were boarding, we rolled down the windows to request the center lane, we waved the pink TAP form, the ferry worker ignored our request. We pleaded, he finally agreed. Often the ferry workers are very obliging and compassionate. Unfortunately that was not the case this time. Why must we grovel? Isn't this hard enough?

BC Ferries, please show compassion - please create lanes for priority boarding - please direct your staff to load passengers on the Travel Assistance Program in appropriate lanes to ensure speedy off-loading.

Thank you.

Addendum dated May 29th, 2022

I would like to clear up some confusion about what I am looking for and why I am not satisfied with the current system available for Medical Assured Loading (MAL) on BC Ferries.  https://www.bcferries.com/book-sailings/medical-assured-loading

I have never used MAL. I have never been offered MAL.  Until recently, I had no idea that this process existed. To my knowledge, my friend was never offered MAL. I don't think she would qualify under the strict guidelines. 

As it states on BC Ferries website "MAL is available for those travelling for medical specialist services where their medical practitioner has determined an extended wait at a ferry terminal for a ferry sailing could cause risk to their health."  I think this was a great step in the right direction but we are not quite there yet.

Assured loading is currently available to a limited group of people. It could work for you if a sailing wait could cause a risk to your health, if your doctor agrees, and if you have timely access to a doctor to make your request prior to travel. 

Why do I want something different?

I want ALL TAP users to have access to Medical Assured Loading – regardless of health risks.  I want it to be automatic and simple. People experiencing long or short term health issues that require specialty services do not need additional burdens.

But it is not just for the patients. Automatically approving all TAP users for assured loading will benefit healthcare too. Doctors don’t need extra administrative responsibilities. Do we really want GPs spending their time on approving people for assured loading?  As for visits to specialists, surgeries and other medical procedures, we want patients making it to those appointments otherwise it just adds to the backlog. Automatic assured loading will give people the best chance possible to make it to their appointments as planned.