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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)
Julian C. Smith (1924-1938)
Robert Noble Watt (1939-1950)
Arthur Duperron (1950-1960)
Jean-Guy Gauvreau (1960-1963)
Lucien L'Allier (1964-1973)
Lawrence Hanigan (1974-1985)
Louise Roy (1985-1992)
Treffl� Lacombe (1992-1997)
Jacques Fortin (1997-2002)
Francine Gauthier interim (2002-2003)
Pierre Vandelac (2003-2006)
Yves Devin (2006-2012)
Carl Desrosiers – Director-General since 2012
THE BUS
10.
How many buses does the STM have?
Almost 1,680 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 219 bus routes of which 167 are
wheelchair accessible. Of these, 196 routes make up the regular daytime
network, while 23 form the night network.
12.
What are the express bus services called?
The Express is a service with
limited stops travelling towards the métro or downtown in the morning and in the reverse
direction in the afternoon. The
Trainbus is a service with limited stops serving a commuter train
station.
13.
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.
14.
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.
15.
Which are the busiest routes?
Average number of passengers per weekday
121 – Sauvé/Côte-Vertu : 37 000
139 – Pie-IX : 37 000
141 – Jean-Talon Est : 30 000
165 - Côte-des-Neiges 30 000
51 - Boulevard Édouard-Montpetit 29 000
16.
Does the bus pollute?
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
17.
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
18.
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.
19.
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.
Call 514 STM-INFO and choose option 7 (514 786-4636 + 7)
20.
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)
Fax : 514 280-5666
http://www.stm.info/English/comment/index.htm
21.
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
22.
How many passengers does the STM transport per
year?
The STM’s clientele took 404,8 million
trips in 2011. 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.
23.
How many people work at the STM?
Some 9,000 individuals make up the
workforce of the STM, which is ranked 14th
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.
24.
Can I work at the STM?
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 24.09
%, and that individuals from ethnic or visible minorities represent 20.27 %.
25.
What is the STM’s operating budget?
The STM’s 2013 budget stands at $1297
million. It is composed of the following: 45.5 % from passenger fares; 29.9
% from the municipal contribution; and 13.6 % from government subsidies. The
balance comes from various sources including the contribution from the AMT.
26.
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 2.8 million trips in 2011.
The STM also provides accessible
transportation to anyone in a wheelchair aboard low-floor buses on 167
regular bus routes.
27.
What is a taxibus?
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.
28.
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.
29.
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
30.
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.
31.
Why is there no line 3?
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.
32.
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.
33.
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.
34.
What is a métro train?
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).
35.
What is the maximum speed of the métro?
The maximum speed of the métro is 72
kilometres/hour.
36.
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!
37.
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.
38.
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.
39.
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.
40.
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:
-
a telephone (red) linked directly to the
métro control centre enabling you to speak with a person in charge in the
event of an incident
-
a handle to cut the trains’ electrical
supply if a person falls on the track
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an extinguisher in case of fire
Emergency equipment can also be found
inside the métro cars. In each car there is:
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an intercom enabling you to communicate
with the train operator
-
emergency brake handles, to be used only in
an emergency situation
41.
Which are the busiest métro stations?
Number of entries through the turnstiles
a. Berri-UQAM : 13 131 841
b. McGill : 11 852 430
c. Guy-Concordia : 8 437 671
d. Bonaventure : 7 928 139
e. Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke : 7 894 105
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