Local environmental group Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) is relaunching the rideshare initiative Room for Rider post-pandemic.

This hang tag on a vehicle indicates the driver has space for an on-foot passenger connecting between the ferry terminals on Quadra.

Through the program, local drivers hang a bold red and blue tag on their vehicle when they are using the BC ferry system to indicate that they have space to take an on-foot passenger. Originally, the Room for Rider program started in early 2019, but the program ended with the pandemic. Helen Hall, executive director for FOCI, is optimistic that the program will be better utilized this time around.

“We're hoping if people have the mirror tags, then people wanting a ride can identify the cars and hopefully get a ride across,”  Hall explained.

Hitchhiking on Cortes is fairly common, and it is necessary when traveling without a vehicle between Campbell River and Cortes on the BC Ferries. The ferry system doesn’t provide transport for on-foot passengers connecting between the Campbell River-Q Cove Terminal and the Heriot Bay terminal to Cortes Island. The only way for car-less travelers to make the connection is by hitching a ride across Quadra Island, which can be tricky from the Campbell River terminal if pedestrians don’t know which vehicles are intending to make the connection.

FOCI was motivated to support this program once again from an environmental perspective. Hall said the organization is hopeful that the program will see widespread use and that the community will reap the benefits.

“We're hoping if people share rides, then it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which obviously is good from a climate change point of view and it will reduce ferry overloads," Hall said. "It also reduces costs for people.”

To hear more about the Room for Rider program, listen to the CKTZ News Update below: