Double whammy for regular ferry users

Hot on the heels of BC Ferries' announcement that they are to reduce the fuel rebate on the minor routes from 5% (average)  to 2% came a splendid email yesterday to those of us who are registered Experience Card holders (or "valued customers" as the email calls us) informing us that, in future, the rebate will now be calculated as a percentage of the discounted fare, rather than as a percentage of the standard fare. 

This being such good news, it is, of course, a "system enhancement", as this extract confirms : Effective August 17, 2010, BC Ferries is implementing a system enhancement which will enable us to apply a percentage based system for fuel rebates and surcharges on the fares paid. Customers who use an Experience Card and receive a discount will now see that the rebate or surcharge percentage is based on the discounted fare paid.  Currently our system calculates the rebate on the fare prior to the discount.

What does this really mean for Gabriolans? Well, if you currently pay the regular fare for a car and 2 adults ($39.85) the fuel rebate will reduce from its present 3.6% ($1.45) to 2% ($0.80) - effectively an increase of $0.65 on the amount you will pay.  However, as "valued customers", Experience Card holders will see their fuel rebate reduce from $1.45 to $0.49 - an increase of $0.96 on the final charge. Or, put another way,  that's a 4% increase in fare for Experience Card holders compared to a 1.6% increase on the regular fare. 
So that's not just one, but two more examples of "Ferryspeak" for my fellow blogger to add to his collection:
System enhancement = a mechanism for doubling the fare increase for prepaid customers
Valued Customer = someone who is mug enough to pay the double increase