OpenGov, transparency etc… it’s all the rage! Here in B.C, Canada the coastal Ferry system is a crucial service for locals, particularly for those of us that live and work on Vancouver Island (home to more than 600,000+ people). The Ferry system is run by what’s called a Crown Corporation, tough to describe but essentially a Government owned and operated service that is run like a private business and is not really as open or accountable to the people as a Government entity. BC Ferries has been very proactive as far as social media goes and has had some great success using Twitter and other services to communicate information to the public. And so I was impressed to notice that the BC Ferry system serves up real-time GPS tracking of their fleet on their website. A good move and indeed a no-brainer since all the Ferries are equipped with sophisticated navigation and GPS capabilities.
Having access to Ferry location is valuable to the locals, particularly in the winter months when weather can really mess with the schedules… kudos to the service for sharing the maps and for Tweeting about it! FYI, you can follow BC Ferries on Twitter @BCFerries – See also the website vessel tracking page HERE
Tracking maps for all routes show real-time vessel positions, speed and direction
Mouse over the ferry icon to get more details info