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THE BUS
THE SCHEDULES
CUSTOMER SERVICE
THE COMPANY'S PROFILE
THE MÉTRO IMPORTANT DATES 1. When did public transit first appear in Montréal?
In 1861, the year of the founding of the
Montreal City Passenger Railway Company. In the month of November, the first
horse-drawn tramway went into service on Notre-Dame Street between Havre and
McGill Streets. In 1886 the company changed its name and became the Montreal
Street Railway Company. 2. On what date did the first electric tramway go into service?
It was on September 21, 1892, that Montrealers
first saw the Rocket, a tramway running on electricity, travelling on the
streets of their city. 3. Since what date have users paid upon entering a public transit vehicle?
Since May 4, 1905, the date on which Montréal
became the first city in the world to implement a tramway service on which
the passenger paid upon entering. Prior to that time, each tramway had two
employees - a motorman to drive the tramway and a conductor to collect the
fares. 4. In what year was the Montreal Tramways Co. incorporated?
As of October 1, 1911, the Montreal Street
Railway Company acquired the other tramway companies on the island of
Montréal and brought them together under the name Montreal Tramways Co. 5. What date marked the debut of the bus in Montréal?
Two buses began providing regular service on
Bridge Street on November 18, 1919. These vehicles were trucks that had been
transformed into buses at the tramway company’s workshop. The bus was truly
a fixture in Montréal as of 1925. 6. Have there ever been trolley buses in Montréal?
Yes! On March 29, 1937, British-made trolley
buses were running in Montréal, a Canadian first. Later, another model of
trolley bus, the Brill, assembled by Canadian Car in Lachine, was in use
until the final withdrawal of this type of vehicle on June 28, 1966, a few
months prior to the opening of the métro. 7. In what year did the municipalization of public transit take place?
In 1950, the City of Montréal created the
Commission de transport de Montréal (Montréal Transit Commission) in
accordance with a law adopted by the legislative assembly of the province of
Quebec. The CTM officially commenced its activities on June 16, 1951, the
day it took possession of the assets of the Montreal Tramways Co. 8. What were the other changes in the name of the company? In 1970, when the Communaut� urbaine de Montréal (CUM) (Montréal Urban Community) was created, the Commission de transport de Montréal became the Commission de transport de la Communaut� urbaine de Montréal (CTCUM) (Montréal Urban Community Transit Commission) to harmonize its name with that of the new administrative structure of the island of Montréal. In 1985, a Quebec government law modified the Loi de la Communaut� urbaine de Montréal with the result that the CTCUM became the Société de transport de la Communaut� urbaine de Montréal (STCUM) (Montréal Urban Community Transit Corporation), an entity run by a Board of Directors consisting of elected officials and citizen representatives.
In 2002, the municipalities on the island of
Montréal were merged to form a single city, an action that put an end to the
CUM. The transit company became the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) (Montreal
Transit Corporation). 9. Who has headed the company?
Edmund Arthur Robert (1911-1923) THE BUS 10. How many buses does the STM have?
Almost 1,600 buses plus 93 adapted transport
minibuses. This fleet is spread out over eight transport centres where
regular vehicle maintenance is carried out. In addition, the STM has a major
maintenance centre for its buses, the Crémazie shop. 11. How many bus routes does the STM have?
The STM has 192 bus routes of which 126 are
wheelchair accessible. Of these, 172 routes make up the regular daytime
network, while 20 form the night network.
A bus costs $500,000 on average, and 50% of the
cost is subsidized by the government of Quebec. 13. What are the express bus services called? The métrobus is a service with limited stops travelling towards the métro in the morning and in the reverse direction in the afternoon. The Trainbus is a service with limited stops serving a commuter train station. The Express is an express service to downtown. The R-Bus provides an express service by travelling in the reserved lanes.
14. How many bus stops are there in Montréal? Approximately 8,500. The bus stop panel indicates the number of the route that stops there, the type of service, if the bus goes to a métro or train station and the bus stop code enabling you to obtain the schedule by telephone at 514 AUTOBUS.
15. Which are the longest bus routes?
Route 211 Bord-du-Lac with 69.7 km
and Route 356 Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue with 74.1 km represent respectively
the day and night lines with the longest routes. 16. Which are the busiest routes? Average number of passengers per weekday
121 – Sauvé/Côte-Vertu : 37 000
The STM’s buses are responsible for
approximately 2 % of the pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere in
Montréal compared to 50 % for the car. As a bus transports a lot more people
than a car, a bus pollutes up to 18 times less. In addition, bus drivers are
increasingly adopting driving habits that are good for the environment
through the STM’s ecological driving program aimed at reducing GHG emissions.
By choosing public transit, you are making an excellent choice for the
planet! THE SCHEDULES 18. How does one obtain the bus schedules? The Planibus are schedules produced four times per year and are accessible at any time on our Web site at www.stm.info. The printed version of Planibus is available a week prior to the schedule change, while quantities last, on the buses, at the métro stations and at the Customer Service Centre at the Berri-UQAM station. This folder provides you with the times of the buses at the major stops along the route as well as a map of the route. Infobus is a panel installed near certain stops on which the bus schedules are posted. By dialing 514 A-U-T-O-B-U-S (514 288-6287) you have access to the bus schedules at any time. To find out the time of the bus at your stop, enter the five-digit code posted at the bottom of the bus stop panel. On the Web, at www.stm.info, you will find the schedules for all the bus routes.
CUSTOMER SERVICE 19. Where can I find information on the STM and recover a lost object? At the Customer Service Centre on the mezzanine level of the Berri-UQAM métro station. Whether it be to obtain a Planibus or a network map, ask for information or drop off a comment, our personnel are there to welcome you Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Customer Service Centre is where you can
pick up an object lost on a bus or the métro. Allow for approximately 48
hours between the time the object is found and the time it is received at
the Customer Service Centre. 20. How can I get information on bus trips? By using Tous azimuts at www.stm.info/azimuts. Enter a departure point and a destination, then specify the day and time of your trip, and Tous azimuts will suggest three possible routes to get you there.
At the Information Centre, agents will respond
to your calls. 21. Where can I make a comment or a suggestion regarding services? Customer service agents are at your disposal Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also send them your comment by fax or email.
Telephone : 514 STM-INFO - option 4 and option 1
(514 786-4636 + 4 + 1) 22. For whom is public transit free? Children five years of age and under accompanied by an adult; the companion of a person with an intellectual or visual disability, upon presentation of the Personal Aide Transit Pass; police and firemen in uniform.
All bus, métro and Paratransit users must pay
for their passage according to the fares in effect. Payment must be made in
cash or by means of a valid ticket or pass recognized by the STM.
THE COMPANY'S PROFILE 23. How many passengers does the STM transport per year?
The STM’s clientele took 361 million trips in
2005. 40 % of users do not own a car. The average length of a trip is 8 km.
60 % of clients make at least one transfer. 24. How many people work at the STM?
Some 7,400 individuals make up the workforce of
the STM, which is ranked 15th among large Quebec companies. More than half
of these individuals work in direct contact with customers, and close to a
quarter maintain the vehicles and installations.
The STM adopted an equal access plan in 1987.
Under this plan, everyone has an equal opportunity for employment at the
STM. It should be noted that the proportion of women at the STM is 20.7 %,
and that individuals from ethnic or visible minorities represent 10.2 %. 26. What is the STM’s operating budget?
The STM’s 2007 budget stands at $880.3 million.
It is composed of the following: 47.3 % from passenger fares; 31.6 % from
the municipal contribution; and 9.6 % from government subsidies. The balance
comes from various sources including the contribution from the AMT. 27. When did the STM begin providing a transportation service for those with disabilities? The Paratransit service was inaugurated on April 1, 1980. It consists of a reservation-based service carried out by minibus and by taxi and is provided to previously admitted individuals. Paratransit anticipates carrying out 2.2 million trips in 2007.
The STM also provides accessible transportation
to anyone in a wheelchair aboard low-floor buses on 126 regular bus routes.
The taxibus, or public taxi, is a public transit
alternative for districts where it is not possible to provide a regular bus
service. Clients using this service pay the same fare as if they were taking
the bus. The STM provides this service in seven sectors of the city. The
rules for the use of the service can vary from one sector to another. 29. Who is responsible for managing the STM’S advertising space? Advertising in the métro and the buses is handled by métrom�dia Plus. As for the bus shelters containing advertising, they are the responsibility of CBS Affichage Canada.
The STM has a subsidiary, Transgesco, which can
form associations with private companies to ensure the strategic development
of its commercial potential. 30. Which charitable organizations does the STM officially support?
Centraide of Greater Montreal, the Canadian Red
Cross - Quebec division, Partenairesant� – Québec and R�chaud-bus are the
beneficiaries of an annual fundraising campaign among the employees. THE MÉTRO 31. In what year was the Montréal métro inaugurated?
On October 14, 1966, at the Berri-de-Montigny
station (now Berri-UQAM). The construction work on the original network,
consisting of 26 stations, started on May 23, 1962, at a cost of $213
million. The present network consists of four lines (1 – green, 2 – orange,
4 – yellow and 5 – blue) and includes 68 stations.
Initially, line 3 was to include 15 stations and
use Canadian National’s rail lines and their tunnel under Mont-Royal to end
at Cartierville, an undertaking that would have required cars with steel
wheels. However, with Montréal becoming the host city for the 1967 World’s
Fair, it was decided instead to build line 4-yellow giving direct access to
Ile Sainte-H�l�ne and Ile Notre-Dame and serving the South Shore. 33. What distinguishes the Montréal métro from other subways around the world?
The Montréal métro was the first in the world to
run entirely on tires, which made it easier to go up slopes and to start and
stop and reduced the noise and vibrations transmitted to neighbouring
buildings. 34. What made the Montréal métro famous?
The design for each station was assigned to a
different architect. Thus, each station is unique, and almost all present to
the public the works of artists known all over the world. The first work of
art to be unveiled in the métro was Histoire de la musique � Montréal by
Fr�d�ric Back, inaugurated on December 20, 1967 at the Place-des-Arts
station.
A métro train is a train consisting of 3, 6 or 9
cars. A nine-car train corresponds to the length of a station platform, or
152 metres, and can transport up to 1,200 passengers, including 360 seated.
There are two types of cars: the MR63, in service since the opening of the
métro (336 cars); and the MR73, acquired for the métro extensions during the
70s and 80s (423 cars). 36. What is the maximum speed of the métro?
The maximum speed of the métro is 72 kilometres/hour. 37. The métro ran all night only twice in its history. On what occasions? On March 3, 1971, the métro ran all night due to a major snowstorm, better known as « the storm of the century ».
On December 31, 1999, as part of the
celebrations marking the arrival of the year 2000, the métro ran all night,
and access was free. 38. Which event drew the greatest number of passengers to the métro in a single day?
Two million people used the bus and the métro on
September 11, 1984, to see Pope John Paul II at Jarry Park. The métro
provides 700,000 trips each day. Thus, since its inauguration, it has
transported nearly 7 billion passengers! 39. Where can one find the times of the first and last departures of the métro for each station?
Stickers posted on the doors of the métro
stations indicate the times of the first and last métro departures at each
station. This information can also be found on the STM’s Web site. 40. How many kilometres do the métro cars travel each year?
The 759 métro cars travel some 59 million
kilometres each year. The cars in service since 1966 have travelled a total
of 2.4 billion kilometres. 41. Where do the three notes (doo-doo-doo) that one hears when certain métro trains depart come from?
In order to ensure a smooth departure, the MR-73
cars (in service on lines 2-orange, 4-yellow and 5-blue) are equipped with
current choppers that release the 750 volts required to move the train
forward in small doses. It is these current choppers that produce the three
notes heard on departure. 42. How are the security devices in the métro identified? The security devices are always identified by a white hand on a blue background and the word ASSISTANCE.
These devices are there for your use. Don’t hesitate to use them if needed! At the assistance areas on the métro platforms, you will find:
Emergency equipment can also be found inside the métro cars. In each car there is:
43. Which are the busiest métro stations? Number of entries through the turnstiles
a. Berri-UQAM : 12 737 337 |
