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What are shuttle sailings?

A shuttle sailing is when a ferry departs as soon as it is full, instead of waiting for a scheduled departure. We change to shuttle sailings on some of our Vancouver Island – Gulf Island routes when there is a large build up of vehicle or passenger traffic at either terminal on these routes.

After the ferry docks and unloads, customers waiting at the terminal will board straight away. Customers at the less busy terminal may wonder why the ferry is shuttling if they don't see long lines. This is because the other terminal on the route is experiencing heavy traffic.

After traffic clears, sailings change back to the posted sailing schedule. We shuttle an average of 200–300 extra round-trips every year.

Why do we offer shuttle sailings?
Shuttle sailings allow us to run more frequent sailings - clearing large build ups of vehicle or passenger traffic at terminals and reducing wait times for customers.
What dates and times are shuttle sailings?
Shuttle times vary, but occur most commonly after 4:00 pm between early June and mid-October, when traffic volumes are highest.

On the Denman Island East – Hornby Island route, we change to shuttle sailings when 9 vehicles or 20 passengers are left behind for a sailing.

On the Buckley Bay – Denman Island West route, we change to shuttle sailings when 14 vehicles or 20 passengers are left behind for a sailing.
 
How long do we run shuttle sailings for?
We usually run shuttle sailings for two hours. After the backlog of traffic clears, sailings change back to the regular posted sailing schedule.
How will I know when the ferry is providing shuttle sailings?
Digital screens at the terminal will let customers know when the ferry is providing shuttle sailings.
Will this affect any regular school sailings?
To avoid conflicts with the 4:00 pm sailing from Buckley Bay that accommodates students returning home, we generally will not start shuttling before 4:00 pm on school days.
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