Vehicle and passenger traffic, revenue and net earnings were all higher for BC Ferries in its most recent quarter compared to the same periods in the prior year, according to data released in late November.
For the six months ending Sept. 30, 2022, 5.4 million vehicles were carried, up 4% over the 5.2 million vehicles in the same period in fiscal 2020, pre-COVID.
In the three months ending Sept. 30, 2022, BC Ferries carried 7.5 million passengers and 3.0 million vehicles, compared to 7.0 million passengers and 3.0 million vehicles in the same period in the prior year, data show.
Year-to-date, the company carried 12.9 million passengers and 5.4 million vehicles, an increase of 28% and 15%, respectively, compared to the same period in the prior year, primarily as a result of travel restrictions being in place through most of the first quarter in the prior year.
BC Ferries’ net earnings for the three months ending Sept. 30, 2022, were $80.4 million, consistent with the same quarter the previous year. Year-to-date from April 1, 2022, net earnings were $88.3 million compared to net earnings of $84.6 million in the prior year, according to the company.
Revenue for the three months ending Sept. 30, 2022, at $343.1 million, was up $26.3 million over the same period in the prior year primarily as a result of higher passenger traffic volumes, net retail sales, ferry transportation fees and fuel surcharges, BC Ferries data show.
Year-to-date, revenue was $608.0 million, up $62.0 million over the same period in the prior year primarily as a result of higher traffic volumes, net retail sales and fuel surcharges.
The company said that new fare choices, including advance purchase saver fares are contributing to increased vehicle traffic on traditionally lower utilized sailings and fewer sailing waits overall. Since March 2021, according to BC Ferries, over 1 million customers have taken advantage of saver fares.
