My Alerts The STM wishes to provide a brief resume of facts following the publication of articles about how the STM resorts to overtime.
The STM wishes to provide a brief resume of facts following the publication of articles about how the STM resorts to overtime.
A common, expected practice in the transit industry
In work organization, resorting to overtime is not an unforeseen situation, but rather expected. The STM’s business model is to hire bus drivers to provide basic service and use overtime as needed. It’s a normal practice in the industry, as it helps ensure a certain amount of flexibility with regards to service delivery. This approach costs less to taxpayers, as the STM can lower its costs for non-wage benefits.
In the last few years, this business approach was pushed to the limit. STM had completely stopped hiring drivers. Recruitment resumed in 2015 and some 425 bus drivers have been hired since, which should scale back the need for overtime.
Bus drivers make it possible for the STM to provide service 24/7. Their collective agreement includes a number of pay premiums that can indeed boost their salary: premiums for overtime and split-shifts, as well as for working Sundays and weekly time off.
Decrease expected in 2017
In its 2017 budget, the STM is expecting a significant drop in the overall need for overtime, from 808,000 hours in 2016 to 587,000 hours in 2017, a 27.3% reduction in total hours.
Safety
Our indicators do not show any changes in the number of accidents or rate of exhaustion to correlate with overtime hours. The public transportation industry is not the same as the trucking industry: there are no limits on the number of consecutive hours a bus driver can work. However, drivers have variable, atypical work shifts; most of the time, a driver’s work shift is divided into shorter periods spread over time (work/break/work). This provides STM with greater flexibility in managing bus operations.