Two ferry 15-minute service returns
Administrator | Jul 25, 2013 | Comments 2
UPDATE – Fifteen minute service by both ferries is expected to return Friday at Glenora between the County and Adolphustown. The ferry leaves the County on the hour and the half hour; and leaves Adolphustown at a quarter to and quarter after the hour.
JUNE 13 – Motorists are being advised to expect delays during peak times on the Glenora ferry service between Prince Edward County and Adolphustown.
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) ferry maintenance schedule is delayed at Amherst Island, where Glenora’s second ferry (MV Quinte Loyalist) is currently being used. As a result, a single vessel, 30-minute service will remain in place at the Glenora crossing. A double vessel, 15-minute service schedule will return to Glenora in mid-July, when repairs are expected to be complete.
Where possible, motorists are encouraged to car pool, or use alternate routes including Highway 401 to Highway 49, Highway 62, or County Road 33 at Trenton, to enter and exit Prince Edward County, helping to reduce wait times and avoid delays.
“We are continuing to work with the Ministry of Transportation to ensure that normal service is restored as soon as possible,” says mayor Peter Mertens. “I would like to thank all users of the Glenora ferry service for their patience, and I sincerely hope that this disruption is resolved quickly.”
The MTO owns and operates the Glenora/Adolphustown ferry service. Due to a late season thaw, relocating vessels to allow for the repairs on the ferry which services Amherst Island (Frontenac II) started later than planned. When any one of the five MTO vessels is taken out of service, there is a need to shift the placement of the vessels to ensure that all MTO ferry crossings are appropriately serviced. A fact sheet with detailed information is attached. For more information on the disruption visit the
MTO Traveller’s Road Information Portal.
FACT SHEET: GLENORA FERRY SERVICE DISRUPTION
– The Glenora ferry service typically accommodates 25,000 – 30,000 vehicles/month in May and June, and 40,000 vehicles/month in July and August.
– This disruption is due to an unexpected operational delay, and is not a permanent or temporary cut in service.
– The second Glenora ferry (MV Quinte Loyalist) that is normally put into service this time of year is presently servicing Amherst Island to replace its primary vessel (Frontenac II), which is currently undergoing a major refit at a shipyard in Hamilton.
– Mandatory repairs were planned to take place in advance of the tourist season, however due to a late thaw, vessels could not be transferred to their temporary locations for repair.
– Acquisition of a temporary vessel is not possible due to crew training and operating costs that would be required with insufficient notice.
– Each ferry configuration is unique, as are the docking/loading requirements, such as loading vehicles from the side versus the end. Only certain ferries can backfill for others when one goes in for service.
Filed Under: Local News
thanks Richard my suspicion exactly and if the need was great why not relieve the Frontenac in the fall of 2012 and get the work done early!!!! wonder if this lassitude would be expected or tolerated if say this was say hypothetically OAKVILLE!!!!!!
I use the Glenora, Amherst Island and Wolfe Island Ferrys regularly. The truth is that the amount of repairs required on the Frontenac were grossly under estimated, and that the repair work has now been delayed at the shipyard for reasons that are unclear.
The original back in service date for the Frontenac was June 1 when it left Amherst Island in March, then extended to mid July, and I was told on Thursday that it could be as late as mid August. As for the late thaw, ask the ice fisherman.This report makes it appear that the ice went out about 6 weeks later than normal. Most of us know better than that. MTO should just “own up”