Transport adapté's handbook for customers

Paratransit is a door-to-door public transit service that operates by reservation only.

The eligibility criteria are set by Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable.

It’s available to people:

• who live in the Greater Montreal area;
• who live with a significant and persistent disability that limits their ability to carry out normal activities; and
• whose limited mobility justifies the use of paratransit.

Area served

The area served by STM paratransit are the areas that make up the Greater Montreal Area, including L’Île-Bizard, Île Sainte-Hélène, Île Notre-Dame and Île-des-Soeurs. For trips within the metropolitan area, refer to the “Metropolitan Trips” section in this guide.

Information to have on hand before booking

• Your file number
• Full addresses (departure and destination), including pick-up and drop-off locations. For frequently visited public places, these locations are determined by the STM and the buildings.
• Requested arrival and return times.
• Mobility aids used when travelling, such as a wheelchair, walker, etc.
• Whether you’ll have a companion and their needs (mobility aids or if additional space is needed).

Note: The agent may ask why you are requesting the trip (medical, work, school, recreation, workshop).

Three options to book

1) Book online – Mon transport adapté

• Book whenever you want, up to seven days in advance and no later than 9:00 p.m. the day before for the next day.
• You can cancel at any time.

Available features:

• Book or cancel a trip
• Pause a recurring trip
• View your upcoming trips for the next seven days
• Track your vehicle in real time
• View your profile

2) By phone with an agent – Customer Contact Centre

• 514-280-8211
• 7 days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

3) Using the automated telephone service

• 514-280-8211
• 7 days a week, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Password

You will need a password to make reservations through the automated service and online using Mon transport adapté. If you have never used this service, your first password will be 4 numbers, consisting of your birth month and birthday For example, if your birthday is on June 4, your password is 0604.

Hours of operation

See stm.info/en/para for the current schedules.

Types of vehicles

Accessible taxi

Regular taxi 

Accessible vans

Vehicle selection and available seating is determined by STM based on:

• the disabilities in your file; and
• available resources.

Time to schedule before your trip

Be ready at the confirmed time of your booking. The vehicle can arrive within 30 minutes of the confirmed time.

Example: If your trip is booked for 8:00 a.m., be ready at 8:00 a.m. The vehicle has until 8:30 a.m. to arrive without being considered late.

Travel time once on board

Travel time varies depending on things like how far you’re going, the number of stops, how many passengers are on board, and the road and weather conditions. There may be delays and longer travel times than usual on and after rainy or snowy days.

• A ride within Montreal can take up to 90 minutes.
• A ride within the metropolitan area can take up to 120 minutes.

Some group trips may take longer.

Time to allow between arriving at your destination and leaving from the same place

Zone A (Montreal): you need to wait at least one hour before you can board again.

Zones B or C: you need to wait at least two hours before your return trip.

Pick-up and drop-off locations

• Residence: Customer’s residence address.
• Preferred address:  The address that you selected when you created your List of Preferred Addresses with an agent. You may have up to 8 addresses. A number is assigned to each preferred address. 
• Public place: A place that is highly visited by our customers and included on the List of Public Places. This list is available at stm.info/en/para or by request.

Upon boarding, you must pay your fare in accordance with the regulations in force. Failure to do so may result in a fine if you’re stopped by an inspector.

Paratransit ID card on an OPUS card

When admitted, customers will receive a Paratransit OPUS ID card.

You can load transit fares on it. You must show it to your driver at each trip.

Benefit: This card allows you to bring a companion for free within the STM bus and metro network.

Payment methods

• Cash: pay your exact fare to the driver as they can’t give you back change.
• Ticket (magnetic card: give your fare card to the driver.)
• OPUS Paratransit Card (weekly or monthly passes only): Show the driver your OPUS card and keep it with you during your trip.

New: pay with a credit card or debit card.

For more information about current fares or points of sale, go to our website at stm.info/en/para or contact customer service.

Lost or stolen cards

Your OPUS Paratransit ID card is covered in the event of loss or theft. This means you can replace it and reload any fares that were still valid when it was lost or stolen.

Legal responsibility for a customer

As a legal guardian, you must ensure that the customer in your care is travelling with a valid transit fare. In the event that you're legally responsible for a client, the offence resulting from non-payment will default to you and, consequently, the ticket will be issued to you.

Ensure the customer’s file is up to date by providing us with the guardians’ contact details and informing us of any change in autonomy. If you need to provide an update, please notify us as soon as possible by calling customer service.

Types of notifications

• Reminder the day before

Sent between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. for a trip on the next day.

Note: if you book after 4:55 p.m., a reminder will not be sent.

• Arriving soon message

Notification saying that your vehicle is about to arrive.

• Late cancellation notice

Automatically sent when you cancel your trip.

• Late cancellation notice for exceptional events

In case of unforeseen events beyond our control (e.g. water main break).

 

Communication preferences

You can receive notifications as a:

• phone call;
• Email; and
• text message on your phone.

To change your preference, write to extra@stm.info or our customer service.

Regular trip

This is a repeated trip that happens:

• at least once every two weeks;
• at the same time and the same places; and
• for a minimum of four consecutive weeks.

You only need to book once, the schedules will stay the same.

Note: All regular trips, except for trips for dialysis treatments, are automatically cancelled on legal holidays.

If you wish to travel on a holiday, you must request an occasional trip.

Statutory holidays:

• Holiday season (December 25 to January 2 inclusively)
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• National Patriots’ Day
• Fête nationale du Québec (Saint-Jean-Baptiste)
• Canada Day (Confederation)
• Labour Day
• Thanksgiving

Occasional trip

It’s a trip on a specific day with a:

• departure time or time to arrive by at destination; and
• desired return time

Request possible:

• No earlier than seven days prior to the trip date
• Until the day before the trip

Group trips

This is a regular trip on:

• a specific day
• in Zone A (Greater Montreal)
• for a group of five or more customers (with a file number)

To book a trip or event, the group leader must send the Group Transportation Request form at least 10 days in advance by fax, email or mail. The form available on stm.info/en/para or from customer service.

Metropolitan trips

This is a trip between two different fare zones (Zone A and Zone B or C).

Example:

• Leaving from: Montreal (Area A)
• Arrival: Longueuil (Zone B)

ARTM territory covers the Greater Montreal area: Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and the North and South Shores.

Conditions:

Your request must be received by the day before your trip at the latest.

For a two-way trip, you must stay at least two hours at your destination before returning.

Depending on your customer file, you may be authorized to have a travel companion.

When booking:

• Always mention their presence.
• List their needs (manual or motorized wheelchair, walker, cane, etc.).

Types of assistance

Mandatory:

• You must be accompanied by someone (at least 14 years old) to assist you.
• Free for the person accompanying you.

Optional:

• You can bring one person with you.
• Only for people with impaired mobility.
• The person accompanying will have to pay their fare.

For a parent:

• You can travel with your children under the age of 14 listed in your file.
• If you’re under 14 years old, you can travel with both your parents and, if needed, another companion.
• If having a companion is optional, everyone travelling with you must pay a fare.
• If it’s compulsory, one person can travel with you free for free.

To familiarize with the Paratransit service:

• you can be accompanied temporarily by an adult whose role is to teach you how it works.
• They won’t have to pay a fare.

Travel companions in the bus, metro, train and network and REM 

Your edibility to Paratransit allows you to travel with a companion who will travel for free.

Conditions:

• Show your Paratransit ID Card
• Pay for your fare

Service dogs:

You can travel with a service dog (guide dog, companion dog or service dog) to support a disability.

• Mention you have a service dog in each booking.

Pets:

You can travel with a pet if it’s in a pet carrier or other appropriate container compliant with the applicable regulations. 

There are 3 ways to notify us:

1- By phone 

Customer Contact Centre: 514-280-8211, option 1

2- Using the autom ated service

514-280-8211, option 3

This service helps you:

• Cancel a ride and put a recurring trip on pause
• Check the estimated vehicle arrival time
• Confirm or view a trip request

3- Online

Using Mon transport adapté

Changing an occasional trip

You can change the departure and/or return time for occasional travel up to the day before the trip.

The return time can only be changed during the same day for the following return trips:

• medical appointment
• summons to court
• return from a station or airport
•  In these cases, call our Customer Contact Centre at 514-280-8211, option 2, choice 3

Changing a recurring trip

A recurring trip cannot be changed.

If your needs change, you must cancel your trip and book it again.

If you pause recurring travel for more than eight weeks, all recurring trips will be cancelled. When you’re ready to travel again, make a new recurring-trip booking.

If you need to cancel your ride, do so as soon as possible:

• Using automated services at514-280-8211.
• By phone at the Customer Contact Centre 514-280-8211 , option 2, choice 1.
• Book online using Mon transport adapté

Frequent no-shows and cancellations

Users who frequently miss pick-ups or make too many late cancellations may be subject to restrictive measures on their trips. They may also be subject to fines. Please review the standards of conduct and restrictions section for more information.

A cancellation is deemed late if it’s made less than two hours before the confirmed pick-up time.

If you do not show for the pick-up at your departure point, all following planned trips (up until your return home) will also be cancelled. To keep your return trip, you must notify an Info Déplacement agent (option 2, choice 2) within the 60 minutes after the confirmed departure time of the initial pick-up.

If you don’t show for your return trip, and you contact an agent to book a new trip, your request will be handled based on availability at the time of your call.

Standards of conduct and restrictions

Transport adapté staff is committed to providing respectful, on time, reliable and safe service every day, pursuant to the STM’s regulations on safety and behaviour standards (R-036). We expect the same from our customers as they might expect from our employees and representatives.

Compliance with applicable regulations and measures

Any person who engages in conduct that contravenes the rules set out in this Guide, or the standards outlined in R-036, may be subject to certain restrictive measures.

Such behaviours can negatively impact:

• your safety;
• the safety, comfort and physical welfare of other passengers
• the driver’s safety;
• the integrity of the vehicle;
• the smooth operation of the paratransit service.

We understand that exceptional circumstances beyond your control may arise. That’s why, before we apply restrictive measures, a customer service representative will contact you to assess the situation and inform you of the next steps if necessary.

 

Be ready at the confirmed time of your booking

• Your vehicle should arrive within 30 minutes of the confirmed time.

The driver will let you know when they arrive

• If you live in an apartment building, please wait in the lobby.
• If you're in a public place, you must be at the designated pick-up point listed when you booked.
• If there are multiple entrances, make sure you listed your preferred entrance in your booking.

The driver’s role

• Drivers are responsible for escorting you from the door at your pick-up point to the vehicle, then from the door to your destination once there.
• They also choose where you will sit based on their trip sheet.
• The driver is not required to carry your bags or belongings.

Location accessibility

You must ensure that both pick-up and drop-off points are accessible.

During the winter, pick-up and drop-off points must be sufficiently cleared of snow. If you see that the entrance at your pick-up point will not be cleared before the vehicle arrives, you must cancel your trip as soon as possible to prevent our driver from travelling unnecessarily.

If you use a wheelchair, you need to know in advance how many steps are a barrier. If there are more than three consecutive steps to go up or down—and you must remain in your chair—someone other than the driver will have to assist you.[LL1] [RG2] 

Seat belts

You must wear your seat belt during a trip. If can’t to buckle it yourself, the driver will help you.

When travelling with a wheelchair, wearing a lap belt (or pelvic belt) is required. It’s important to note that wheelchair seat belts, known as support belts, are designed to hold you in position and do not protect you in the event of a crash.

If you’re exempt from wearing a seat belt, you must provide a copy of the certificate issued by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec confirming your inability to wear a seat belt. You must also have a copy of this attestation when you travel.

Punctuality

We are committed to picking you up within 30 minutes of the confirmed time of your trip. You must wait until this time has passed before contacting us to report a late pick up using one of the following:

• Automated services514-280-8211, option 3, choice 3.
• By phone at the Customer Contact Centre 514-280-8211 , option 2, choice 1.
• Online using Mon transport adapté

Travelling safely with children

Since April 2019, the Highway Safety Code requires that children must be at least 145 cm tall or at least 9 years old to use the vehicle’s seat belt. Children who do not meet this requirement must use a car seat suited to their height and weight: a baby seat, a child seat or a booster seat.

If you’re travelling with a child under age 9, it’s important that you mention it.

The driver is not responsible for handling car seats. If you cannot adjust the car seat and secure it to the vehicle seat, you must ask a third party for help at the departure and arrival points, or travel with a companion.

For complete information on travelling with a child, go to the Children and Seat Belts section on the SAAQ website, contact our customer service (option 4) or visit stm.info/en/para.

Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring that their children travel in accordance with the provisions set out in the Highway Safety Code.

Three- and four-wheel scooters

Scooter-type wheelchairs with three or four wheels are allowed aboard accessible vehicles. People with a motor disability must still be able to transfer themselves from their scooter to the vehicle seat they will sit on during the trip.

Drivers may refuse a passenger if:

• safety standards are not met; and
• your mobility aid differ from the one in your file.

The wheelchair lifts on our accessible vehicles can support a maximum weight of 364 kg (800 lb). To ensure safe boarding, mobility aids must respect the following maximum dimensions:

• Maximum width: 84 cm (33 in)
• Maximum length: 137 cm (54 in)

Customers impacted by this restriction can contact our customer service at 514-280-8211, option 4. For more information, go to stm.info/en/para.

Using a wheelchair aboard a standard taxi

If you use a wheelchair and are travelling in a sedan, you must be able to transfer yourself independently from your wheelchair to both the vehicle’s front and back seats without the driver’s or a companion’s help. We recommend to have anchors on the wheelchair so that the driver can secure it in the trunk.

Transporting a second mobility aid

You may carry a second mobility aid if, for example, you need to bring it for repairs. All you need to do is mention it when booking your trip.

Grocery, shopping or carry on bags

For safety reasons, only grocery, shopping and carry on bags are allowed under the following conditions:

• You can carry them yourself;
• They do not take up additional space in the vehicle; and
• They are securely stored or held.

The driver may refuse you if you have items you cannot carry yourself. Trunk space is reserved for mobility aids for passengers who are already on board or who will be picked up after you.

Exceptions for specific destinations

We carry luggage only in accessible taxis and only if you’re travelling to one of the following destinations:

• Montreal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport;
• Central Station (train): 895 De La Gauchetière Street West
• Dorval VIA Rail Station: 755 Montréal-Toronto Boulevard, Dorval
• Gare d’autocars de Montréal: 1717 Berri Street
• Megabus bus terminal: 997 Saint-Antoine Street West, Montreal
• Sauvé Station - VIA Rail Canada, 420 de Port-Royal East, Montreal
• Camp Papillon: 7275 Sherbrooke Street East, sign posts 24–25, Montreal[RG7] 
• The Port de Montréal’s Grand Quay: 200 De la Commune Street West
• Cartier Terminus (Galland buses) : 44 Laurentides Boulevard, Laval

You must indicate that you will be travelling with luggage when you book a trip to one of these destinations.

Updating your file

You’re responsible for information customer service at 514-280-8211, option 4 or at stm.info/en/para of any changes to your file, such as:

• address
• telephone number
• medical condition
• mobility aids (wheelchair, cane, walker,
• three-wheel or four-wheel scooter, guide dog, service dog, etc.)
• medical condition                                                                                                                                                   
• need for companion
• change autonomy level

If needed, STM will follow up and update your customer file. Note that if you do not use Paratransit for 24 months, your file will be automatically deactivated. Beyond this period, contact customer service (514-280-8211, option 4) to assess reactivation paths.

Change of address

You must inform customer service (514-820-8211, option 4) before any change of address. It will help us change regular trip schedules or any previously scheduled trips using your new address.

If you move outside the city of Montreal’s territory, we can send your file to a local transportation agency. To do so, you will need to fill out the consent form in the forms section at stm.info/en/para.

Before boarding

Parents or caregivers must ensure that the customer in a state where they can safely travel. Customers must never be forced to board a vehicle if they refuse or if they are behaving aggressively. That would put that person, the driver and other passengers, at risk. In these situations, if the still want transportation for the customer, they will have to use other means rather than Transport adapté.

While boarding

Parents or caregivers can make the driver’s job easier by showing identifying the client, paying their fare and confirming their destination.

Caregivers should mention any information that could facilitate boarding or help ensure the customer’s comfort and safety to the driver.

Support

In order to ensure the safety of customers with intellectual or mental disabilities, a caregiver must be there when the driver arrives.

These customers must also be met by a caregiver at the door at the drop off point. A customer’s level of autonomy will determine the kind of support they need at pick up and drop off. This can only be waived if a duly signed form attests to their autonomy at the various possible destinations.

For more information, we encourage caregivers to contact customer service (514-280-8211, option 4). 

Everyone’s contribution is needed to ensure customers are safe.

Travelling by métro

Go to the Elevator access to the metro page under the Universal access section on stm.info for a list of accessible stations.

Asking for help from an STM companion                      

You may ask an STM employee to help you travel from one station to another. Speak with an attendant at the ticket booth to request this service.

Travelling by bus

All STM buses are wheelchair accessible except for shuttles or buses on the 212 – Sainte-Anne line. More and more buses have two spaces for customers in wheelchairs.

You may use any of the STM’s information tools to check the schedules for buses with ramps at the front.

General information: stm.info/en/para

Online booking: https://montransportadapte.stm.info

Just one number to remember

514-280-8211

Address

Centre de transport adapté de la STM

3111 Jarry Street East

Montréal, Quebec

H1Z 2C2

Email

transport.adapte@stm.info

Regular trip request

Fax : 514-280-6313

Group transportation request

Fax : 514-280-5317

Email: groupes.ta@stm.info

For clients with issues communication or hearing issues

Bell or Videotron Relay

• 1-800-855-0511 (Voice to TDD)
• 711 (TDD to voice)
• 1-800-855-1155 (TDD to TDD)

Comments and complaints

Online: https://www.stm.info/en/paratransit/contact-us-ta

By phone: 514-280-8211, option 4

Transit companies offering paratransit services in Quebec

• Longueuil 450-670-2992 rtl-longueuil.qc.ca
• Laval 450-662-8356 stl.laval.qc.ca
• Quebec 418-687-2641 stacquebec.ca
• Outaouais 819-770-7900 ext. 6950 sto.ca
• Sherbrooke 819-564-2687 sts.qc.ca
• Trois-Rivières 819-373-1778 sttr.qc.ca
• Lévis 418-837-2401 stlevis.ca
• Saguenay 418-545-2489 ville.saguenay.qc.ca

Regroupement des clients du transport adapté (RUTA Montréal)

Tel: 514-255-0765

rutamtl.com