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Policies and Procedures

At Island Link, Island Express Bus, Tofino Express Bus, Port Hardy Express Bus and Victoria Express Bus.

Privacy Policy

Islandlink Bus is committed to respecting the privacy of all those who use our service. The sole purpose for gathering personal information is to enable Islandlink to serve you better and for you to book your travel arrangements with Islandlink - online at your convenience. It also gives you access to our iPOINTS system available only to those who utilize our online booking facility.

The content of this information is limited to what you voluntarily provide and we undertake to never sell or disclose that information to any third party for any reason whatsoever.

Personal Information

The only personal information Islandlink retains is that which is provided in the registration forms online. This includes your full name, address, telephone number, and email address. Islandlink makes every effort to ensure that our electronic data is secure and we do not print personal information or maintain records or files in printed versions.

Personal information will only be retained for as long as you choose to use the services of Islandlink online. You may request Islandlink to remove your personal information from our electronic files at any time.

Islandlink does not retain credit card or cheque information. Credit cards used to pay for travel on Islandlink are processed on a secure site operated and maintained by Moneris Solutions (An RBC Royal Bank / Bank of Montreal Joint Investment). Islandlink will not be held liable for any failure of this site to protect member information.

Making a Booking on IslandLink

Making a booking on Islandlink is not required in order to use Islandlink bus services, but they are recommended. Having a booking is the only way to guarantee a seat on the bus trip of your choice. Bookings may only be made online, on the Islandlink website.


On-line bookings (and cancellations) may be made at any time until 11:59pm on the night before travel. A booking will only be given when space is available, and Islandlink will not overbook. Passengers traveling without a booking will be given a seat by the driver, on a space-available only basis, on payment of the applicable fare in cash to the driver. The cash payment must be made prior to departing the pick-up point.


Online Reservations:

The only way to make a booking on Islandlink is online. Everybody booking on-line is required to become a member of the system; there is no charge for membership, and membership may be revoked at any time by email notice to Islandlink. (See Closing a member account/Refund of iPOINTS balance, below).


Booking online requires online payment, either by credit, debit VISA or debit card, or by payment from the member's iPOINTS account, or a combination of these. On-line reservations may be cancelled on-line in accordance with the Cancellation Policy, shown above. iPOINTS held in a member's online iPOINTS account may only be used to purchase travel online from Islandlink.

Ticket Use / Non-Use:

  1. Cancelling a ticket does not refund your credit card.
  2. Your Islandlink ticket is valid only for the trip/time & date specified. It may be used in part payment toward a stand-by fare on the same date ONLY, but at a different trip/time; in this case the driver will collect the difference between the fare paid online and the applicable cash fare for the different trip/time, per passenger, if space is available.
  3. Your Islandlink ticket has no value except on the travel date specified thereon. If it is not used (unless it has been cancelled in accordance with the cancellation policy), it has no refund or credit value.
  4. You must be in possession of a confirmed ticket number in order to board the bus.
  5. Cancellation Policy: Your Islandlink ticket may be cancelled anytime before midnight on the day before travel. If it is cancelled, the ticket price, minus the cancellation fee(s), minus the reward given when the ticket was purchased will be credited to your online iPOINTS account, for future travel purchase (iPOINTS have certain expiry conditions, see iPOINTS below). Cancellation can only be done online; cancellation fee is $2.00/ticket.

Children, Baggage, Pets, Guide and Service Dogs

Transportation of Children and Infants:

Unfortunately, Islandlink is not set up to legally carry children and infants under the age of nine years on all our vehicles. Rather than differentiate our policy by vehicle type, we have one policy that applies on all our vehicles and on all our routes.


Therefore, any child or infant under the age of nine years will not be boarded on our vehicles.


At age nine years and older, children are no longer required to be seated in a booster or child restraint seat in British Columbia, and this condition also applies to all Islandlink services.


Since children age nine years or older do not require booster or restraint seats, we will not allow the temporary installation of these seats in our vehicles as they are not required by law.


Pets, Guide Dogs and Service Dogs:

Pets

No pets (animals or birds) are allowed on any Islandlink Bus or Island Express Bus vehicle at any time.


Guide & Service Animals

We accommodate guide and service dogs, as well as other medically necessary service animals in accordance with the laws of British Columbia.


To help us accommodate you, we appreciate advance notice and confirmation of your service animal's certification(s), or supporting medical documentation before your day of travel. All documentation, questions or concerns can be emailed to info@islandbuslink.com. Let us know if you are a repeat customer, as we will save confirmation that you have previously provided your documentation for future reference. Please note that providing this information is not a condition of sale or carriage, however, it does allow us to plan to accommodate you and for a quicker and easier boarding process on the day of travel.


In some circumstances, we may ask to see an animal's certification, or a passenger's medical documentation to support their need for accommodation. Please bring any documentation with you to help us address your needs and ensure a quicker and easier boarding process on your day of travel.


Once boarded, service dogs are required to remain on the floor at the feet of their owner. Service dogs will not be permitted to travel on a seat or in their owner's lap.


To ensure the safety of our drivers and passengers, we reserve the right to (1) refuse service, and (2) require that a passenger remove their animal from the bus. We may exercise these rights in the event that there is an issue with the animal's behaviour.

Restricted Baggage:

The only baggage we must restrict is:

  • bicycles, wheelchairs/scooters; this is because of the space limitations of our vehicles,
  • hazardous or dangerous materials, explosives, guns and ammunition,
  • packages containing liquids that are inadequately contained such that they may leak in the bus.
  • We apologize, but there is no space on any Islandlink bus to carry surfboards

All other baggage is OK with the single condition that 'if you can carry it (all at once), we can take it'. Baggage in excess of this amount can only be carried at the discretion of the driver and if space is available; it is therefore not guaranteed.


Protective Face Masks:

Island Express Bus policy with respect to wearing a face mask (COVID) onboard our vehicles has been relaxed. Wearing a face mask is encouraged, but is now optional.


If circumstances change, this policy could also change again

Definition:

iPOINTS are cash credits held in a member account, and are valued at ONE iPOINT = $1.00


Earning or buying iPOINTS:

Islandlink members (membership is free, just register on this website. Membership is required in order to make a booking on Islandlink bus services)

  1. are awarded iPOINT(S) every time they make a booking. The minimum amount earned is ONE iPOINT per ticket booked, but may be as high as 23 percent of the cost of the booking depending on how many passengers are booked and how far in advance of travel the booking is made. The iPOINT(S) earned are automatically added to the member iPOINT account to provide for a saving on the next booking(s) made.
  2. may purchase iPOINTS at a discount in order to save on subsequent booking(s). Five packages are available [click here] - spend $36 and get 4 iPOINTS free, total 40 iPOINTS; spend $85 and get 15 iPOINTS free, total 100 iPOINTS; spend $200 and get 50 iPOINTS free, total 250 iPOINTS; spend $450 and get 150 iPOINTS free, total 600 iPOINTS; spend $1,000 and get 450 iPOINTS free, total 1,450 iPOINTS.
  3. are credited iPOINTS every time they cancel a booking (conditions apply, see below). The credit happens automatically when a booking(s) is cancelled.

[Cancellation Policy: Your Islandlink ticket may be cancelled anytime before midnight on the day before travel. If it is cancelled, the ticket price, minus the cancellation fee(s), minus the iPOINTS given when the ticket was purchased will be credited to your online iPOINTS account, for future travel purchase(s). Cancellation can only be done online; cancellation fee is $2.00/ticket.]


Using iPOINTS:

Every time a booking is made, the booking system automatically deducts iPOINTS from the member account to pay for the ticket(s) up to the full cost of the ticket, if sufficient iPOINTS are available. Any ticket cost not covered by the member iPOINT account is paid by credit, debit VISA or debit card. Conversely, any iPOINTS in the member account in excess of the ticket(s) cost are retained for subsequent booking(s).

iPOINTS expiry:

iPOINTS do not expire except under the following circumstances

  1. when there has been zero activity (travel Bookings) on the account for at least three years, and the total iPOINTS balance is 15 iPOINTS or less, or
  2. when there has been zero activity (travel bookings) on the account for at least five years, and the total iPOINTS balance is 25 iPOINTS or less, or
  3. when there has been zero activity (travel bookings) on the account for at least seven years.

Under any of these three circumstances, the Member account will be closed and cancelled by Islandlink, as the Total Travel Credits in the account will have expired and it will therefore have a zero balance.


Closing a member account/Refund of iPOINTS balance:

Members may close their account anytime by written (email) notice to Islandlink. When an account is closed, any refund of iPOINTS due to the member will be credited to the credit, debit VISA or debit card used most recently by that member to either pay for a booking or to purchase an iPOINTS package (see Earning or buying iPOINTS above), with the following conditions

  1. if the most recent use of the member credit, debit VISA or debit card was to make a booking, the maximum amount of refund (ONE iPOINT = $1.00) will be the lesser of the amount billed to the member credit, debit VISA or debit card for that booking, and the iPOINTS balance in the member account.
  2. if the most recent use of the member credit, debit VISA or debit card was to make a purchase of an iPOINTS package, the maximum amount of refund (ONE iPOINT = $1.00) will be the lesser of the amount billed to the member credit, debit VISA or debit card for that purchase, and the iPOINTS balance in the member account LESS the number of free iPOINTS given with the purchase.

Failure to Perform

Reservation System:

In the event the Islandlink on-line reservation system crashes or otherwise fails to perform in a usual and reasonable manner, Islandlink, its affiliates and suppliers will not be held liable for the effects of any resulting inconvenience or interruption to passenger travel plans. Islandlink will do everything possible to ensure the on-line reservations system performs in accordance with its design parameters.


Vehicle Operation:

Islandlink maintains and services its vehicles in accordance with manufacturer instructions, and checks are made in accordance with Motor Vehicle and Passenger Transportation Branch requirements. Despite this, mechanical breakdowns do occur from time to time. In this case, Islandlink will do everything in its power to provide alternative transportation, but will not be held liable for missed third party carrier connections.

BC Ferries:

Islandlink will not be held liable for the effects of late ferry arrival or departures on passenger travel plans.


Weather:

Poor weather that results in dangerous road conditions can impact on-time performance. Islandlink will not be held liable for missed connections or other interruptions due poor weather conditions. Islandlink reserves the right to cancel planned trips in the event passenger and / or vehicle safety is compromised


Accidents:

The limited alternate route opportunities on Vancouver Island can cause severe traffic congestion in the event of a road accident. In the event traffic is held up due to an accident, Islandlink will not be held liable for any missed connections that may result.