Only trucks allowed when Northumberland Ferries service resumes Monday

Northumberland Ferries will be carrying only trucks at least 10 metres in length between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia when its season kicks off next Monday, May 3. 

"We'll be operating service for commercial vehicles only, as we did at the start of last operating season, offering four round trips on weekdays only," general manager and vice-president of operations Don Cormier told CBC News.

The ferry runs were initially set to begin May 1, but that date fell on a Saturday. With weekend trips not being offered yet, the start was pushed to Monday. 

Cormier is expecting the ferry line will serve 400 trucks a week based on the planned schedule. Each run should be carrying only 20 people other than ferry staff, "so there's lots of room on board to social distance."

Public health measures in place in both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are limiting anything but essential travel between the two Maritime provinces, as COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia soar.

The Atlantic bubble was originally supposed to reopen on April 19, allowing regional residents freer travel without the need to isolate, but that action was first pushed off to May 3 and now seems likely to be postponed again. 

Heightened sanitation measures will be in place on board the Northumberland Ferries vessels, and face masks will be required to reduce the chance of COVID-19 being spread onboard.  

"All of those measures remain in place to ensure that we can go about our work safely and to ensure that the public is safe, which is our priority, and of course our employees as well," Cormier said. 

Both provinces have started setting up their infrastructure to conduct their public health inspections as truck operators go back and forth, Cormier said. 

The year's first departure will see MV Confederation leaving from Wood Islands, P.E.I., at 6:30 a.m. AT on Monday. 

There is a bit of a reduction in our workforce, which we certainly regret.— Don Cormier, Northumberland Ferries

"We will start with this reduced schedule, with only one ship in operation," Cormier said, adding that a slower start is not unusual, but a delay in offering weekend service is. 

"There is a bit of a reduction in our workforce, which we certainly regret."

Maximum capacity for Northumberland Ferries involves five crews, but only two crews will be operating as of next week — about 80 per cent of normal spring employment.  

"It's very important to be there to support the movement of commercial goods," Cormier said. 

"We're hopeful that in due course we are able to offer extended service to other segments of traffic when the public health offices deem that is appropriate."

Cormier said MV Confederation will offer "a limited food service" for the commercial drivers so that they don't have to visit restaurants at their destination point, but can deliver their goods on the other side and come straight back. 

The company's second ship, MV Holiday Island, is undergoing normal maintenance and won't be available until late May or early June. 

By that time, Cormier hopes non-commercial vehicles will be allowed on board for the 75-minute voyage as well. 

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