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The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is unveiling its strategy for housing and maintaining these additional buses. This strategy is based on five solutions.
Montréal, May 22, 2018 – Following last January’s announcement of financial support from the Government of Québec and the City of Montréal for the acquisition of 300 hybrid buses, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is unveiling its strategy for housing and maintaining these additional buses. This strategy is based on five solutions.
“In January, we launched a call for tenders for the purchase of 300 new hybrid buses that will enable us to substantially improve the service offered to bus users. Today, we take another important step towards realizing this significant project. This means we will have the necessary infrastructure to house these new buses and will be closing in on our goal of offering the people of Montréal a more efficient, productive and comfortable public transit system,” says Montréal Mayor, Valérie Plante.
“The addition of 300 buses will have significant effects on the service offered, while representing an increase of about 15% to the current fleet. Transit users will benefit from an increase in comfort and service frequency. The five solutions presented today will enable the STM to house, operate and maintain these additional buses. This is a major investment for public transit in the city,” says STM Board Chairman, Philippe Schnobb.
Five space solutions
1. Speed up Bellechasse bus garage construction
This project consists of replacing the current Saint-Denis bus garage, built in 1957 and approaching the end of its useful life, to enable the STM to better meet its current and future operational needs and improve its passenger services.
Announced last August, the new bus garage will be operational in 2022 and able to house 207 buses (105 regular buses and 102 articulated buses). The cost of the project is $242 million.
2. Bring forward construction of a bus garage
This solution involves the construction of a new bus garage able to house 250 buses which could be fully electric. The bus garage is expected to be operational in 2023, despite the 2025 Strategic Organizational Plan initially planning this for 2025. The project is valued at $370 million.
3. Expand three existing bus garages
The third solution involves the expansion of the Anjou, Legendre and Saint-Laurent garages to provide an additional capacity of 150 buses. This project has the advantage of enabling the expansions to go ahead without moving the operation and maintenance activities during the work, while at the same time limiting the impact on passenger services. The work is due for completion in 2020, at a cost of $165 million.
4. Adapt an industrial building near the Stinson bus garage
This solution involves renting space in an old industrial building for a period of five years. By adapting the building to suit its needs, the STM will be able to house 50 regular buses, which will be maintained at the nearby Stinson bus garage. This project is valued at $5 million, which includes the adaption and renovation of the space.
5. Maintain the Saint-Denis bus garage assets
The last solution involves maintaining the assets of the Saint-Denis bus garage to extend its useful life. The work includes the refurbishment of the roof, which will require the temporary relocation (for 12 months) of 180 buses currently parked at this garage. Once the work is completed, buses will be able to use the garage until the Bellechasse bus garage opens in 2022. This project is valued at $19.4 million.
Two loan by-laws
To complete four of these five projects, the City of Montréal’s Executive Committee will authorize two loan by-laws during its meeting on May 23, which is the first step. A loan by-law for the Bellechasse bus garage was already authorized in August 2017.
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Information:
Geneviève Jutras
Press Secretary
Office of the Mayor and Executive Committee
514-243-1268
Amélie Régis
Public Affairs, STM
514-350-0800, ext. 85508
amelie.regis@stm.info
