Return to mandatory front-door boarding and fare validation on all STM bus lines

Montréal, August 6, 2020 – The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) wishes to inform its customers that all bus lines will return to fare validation and front-door boarding beginning on August 10.

The entire bus fleet will be equipped with protective screens for drivers and signage to direct customer flow into the back of the bus. Passengers will board at the front and exit at the back and must remain behind the black and yellow line at all times to maintain a two-metre distance from the driver. These changes have been made to keep customer flow as smooth as possible and to allow our drivers to keep a safe distance from others, which will reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Additionally, STM inspectors will continue checking fares in the métro and bus networks. As stated in by-law R-105, customers without a valid fare may be subject to a fine of $150 to $500.

Our teams have modified roughly 2,000 buses at eight different bus garages over the last few weeks to comply with CNESST safety standards and to enable front-door boarding.

In addition to public health authorities’ recommendations for using public transit, the STM would like to remind you of the following important precautions:

• Wearing a face covering is mandatory in public transit
• Keep hand sanitizer and a spare face covering with you at all times
• Make sure you have a valid transit fare, ideally purchased in advance to avoid waiting in line with other customers
• Avoid trips during rush hour whenever possible
• Avoid eating and drinking while on public transit
• When planning your trips, check the real-time bus schedules showing your bus’s location on the map
• Stay home if you think you have COVID-19

You can find practical information on lockdown-lifting measures throughout the STM network at www.stm.info/coronavirus.

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medias@stm.info