Nanaimo-based Hullo Ferries is touting its reliability and 50-per-cent annual passenger growth after 18 months in business sailing passenger ferries between Nanaimo and Vancouver's Coal Harbour.
CEO Alistair Caddick told BIV Wednesday that his company in January completed 99 per cent of its scheduled runs and 98 per cent of those were on time.
Caddick would not say if the company is profitable. He added that, as a private venture, he does not share revenue information.
He did say that since inception, Hullo has carried more than 650,000 passengers and that monthly passenger growth has recently been in the 50-per-cent range.
"We're seeing tremendous growth and really strong support from both the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island," he said.
"It is a good indication that we're on the right path," he said.
Hullo tends to operate 12 sailings per day, starting with a 7 a.m. departure from Nanaimo. Extra sailings are added, such as midnight sailings after concerts at BC Place and 11 p.m. sailings after Canucks games. Normal weekdays have final departures from Vancouver at 5:15 p.m., whereas normal weekend days have final sailings from Vancouver at 7:30 p.m.
The company's two ferries, which were brand new when the company launched in August 2023, carry 354 passengers. Adult fares are $39.99.
Passengers are able to bring wheelchairs on board but not yet bicycles.
"We are still evaluating bicycles," he said. "It's something we would like to try and do in 2025."
Hullo operates a free shuttle bus service at the Nanaimo ferry terminal, which delivers passengers to downtown Nanaimo.
BCAA's Evolve bike-share program operates in Nanaimo with vehicles downtown but not yet at the ferry terminal. Caddick said that the bike-share program may launch at the ferry terminal sometime this year.
"We have partnerships with ride-share and car-rental companies," he said. "We've got Evo and Modo cars at our terminal."
"We're certainly evaluating a route from downtown Vancouver to Victoria," Caddick said.
There are no current plans for that, he stressed.
If Hullo eventually does make the decision to expand to a second route, it would take another two years before that route would launch, he said.
There are also no plans to buy another ferry.
"We're always in discussions, and evaluating, but we haven't made that decision yet," he said.
A Vancouver city councillor and two park board commissioners said on Feb. 7 that they would introduce motions at future council and park board meetings to push for an electric passenger ferry connecting downtown Vancouver with Bowen Island and Gibsons. Their hope is that the ferry could launch operations by 2027.
Bluesky.com/glenkorstrom.bsky.social
