Transport en Commun/Public Transportation

[Habfanman]

The 3 new Laval stations have added an additional 45,000 riders a day (I assume weekday). This has exceeded the estimate of 34,000 and would bring the total to approximately 750,000 métro passengers a day.

November 27th, 2007
Thanks a lot, Laval, now the metro is too crowded
Posted by Christopher DeWolf

Montrealers are full of complaints. Sometimes they’re even willing to fill out of a form to make an official complaint, which is what 326 people have done in response to the STM’s last round of fare hikes at the beginning of this year. But that’s not all they’re unhappy with: transit users are now complaining that the Laval extension has made the metro too crowded and that the STM isn’t doing enough to keep up with the increased ridership.

When the Laval metro opened in April, its three stations were expected to be used by a combined 34,000 riders per day. Just over half a year later, that projection has been surpassed, with 45,000 passengers boarding trains at Cartier, de la Concorde and Montmorency stations. In response, the STM has increased the number of trains that serve the orange line at rush hour, but it still isn’t enough to keep up with demand.

It’s an appropriate time, then, for the two commissions in charge of examining Montreal’s new transport plan to release their final report, which is what they did last week. Between them, the opaquely-named Commission du conseil municipal and Commission permanente du conseil d’agglomération made 150 recommendations drawn from a series of public consultations held earlier this fall. Most notably, they suggest reinstating bridge tolls; reducing the number of non-residential parking spaces; extending the blue line east to Pie IX; and building three tramway lines, along Park Avenue, Côte des Neiges Road and around the Old Port. None of these ideas are particularly revolutionary — they’ve all been discussed in detail over the past few years — but they’re seen as necessary if the city hopes to achieve its goal of reducing the number of car trips made in Montreal by 20 percent before 2021.

There aren’t any new orange line trains on the horizon, though — those will have to wait until after the new green line trains are delivered in a few years.

You can read more about the official transport plan, which was released last May, on the city’s website.

[ssiguy2]

I'm quite surprised at how poor, compared to Toronto or Vancouver, the Metro frequencies are. You would think with a ridership as high as the Metro it would be every 2-3 minutes all day.
BTW, thanks for info..i'll look it up on the Montreal City site.

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

I'm quite surprised at how poor, compared to Toronto or Vancouver, the Metro frequencies are. You would think with a ridership as high as the Metro it would be every 2-3 minutes all day.
BTW, thanks for info..i'll look it up on the Montreal City site.

I think that is due to the equipment being stretched to the limit. Rush hour waits are from 3-5 mins and off-peak are 6-8. There's not much they can do until the new green line cars are delivered in about 3 years, maybe 4 due to a tendering controversy (or shall I say 'lack of tendering' controversy!)


January 10th, 2008
Long way ahead for new metro cars
Posted by Christopher DeWolf

French manufacturing giant Alstom has won its case against Quebec for awarding a $1.2 billion contract to replace all of the green line’s 336 metro cars to Bombardier without an open tender. Whatever its final outcome, the STM says, the court ruling will set the delivery of new metro cars back by another year. Here’s more background from La Presse:

C’est le ministre Béchard qui a ouvert le bal en juillet 2005 en déclarant que le gouvernement cherchait à accorder le contrat de remplacement des 336 voitures MR-63 du métro de Montréal à Bombardier Transport sans appel d’offres. À l’époque, M. Béchard était ministre du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation (MDEIE). Mais il était aussi, et l’est encore aujourd’hui, député de la circonscription de Kamouraska-Témiscouata, dans laquelle se trouve l’usine de Bombardier à La Pocatière.

Le 11 mai 2006, le gouvernement québécois a annoncé en grande pompe que le contrat de 1,2 milliard serait effectivement négocié de gré à gré avec Bombardier Transport. Le nouveau ministre du Développement économique, Raymond Bachand, a soutenu que le gouvernement pouvait légalement procéder ainsi parce qu’il n’y avait qu’un manufacturier de voitures de métro au Canada, Bombardier.

You have to admit that the government’s original plan to award Bombardier the metro contract reeks of patronage: its factory is located in Kamouraska-Témiscouata, the former economic development minister’s riding. Alstom’s factory, by contrast, is located in the PQ stronghold of Richelieu.

If Quebec were a family, something tells me we’d be dysfunctional and prone to nepotism. It’s this kind of arrangement that got us stuck with a load of lemons made by Novabus, which was favoured over other bus companies simply because its factory is located in Saint Eustache.

So while the bureaucrats in Quebec City figure out how to deal with the Bombardier/Alstom mess, Montreal transit users will be stuck waiting for buses that don’t come and new metro cars that won’t arrive for another four years.

[ChrisDVD]

C'est chien. Je ne comprend pas c'est quoi le problème qu'un gouvernement demande a une compagnie de sa province pour faire une job,... et un étranger dérange tout nos plan parce qu'il veux faire plus de cash. C,est pas les français qui souffre, la dedans, c'est les Lavalien/montrealais.
Les francais on déjà batis quelque chose de gros... et regarder comment ca la tourné! (le stade) beau, mais chèr.
Merde, ca me choque. Même si je prend pas le métro et que je n'habite pu au québec... je trouve ça con.

Alstom.. laissez noyus tranquille... why do you care, vous nous avez laissé il y a 350 ans lol

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by ChrisDVD

C'est chien. Je ne comprend pas c'est quoi le problème qu'un gouvernement demande a une compagnie de sa province pour faire une job,... et un étranger dérange tout nos plan parce qu'il veux faire plus de cash. C,est pas les français qui souffre, la dedans, c'est les Lavalien/montrealais.
Les francais on déjà batis quelque chose de gros... et regarder comment ca la tourné! (le stade) beau, mais chèr.
Merde, ca me choque. Même si je prend pas le métro et que je n'habite pu au québec... je trouve ça con.

Alstom.. laissez noyus tranquille... why do you care, vous nous avez laissé il y a 350 ans lol

Mais Chris, nous devons donner les contrats d'une façon ouverte et transparente. Nous devons trouver le meilleur produit au meilleur prix. Il y a également une usine d'Alstom au Québec et nous ne voulons pas de revenir à l'époque de Duplessis!!

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

I'm surprised that downtown numbers are so good for Montreal compared to Toronto.

What exactly are the plans for Montreal transit/rapid transit/metro expansion in the coming decade? Does it have a similar site to Toronto's TransitCity or is it going to be more piecemeal?

There isn't a site such as TransitCity however there is a wealth of info on the city site. Unfortuately, the city site is down for maintenance so I'll post a synopsis of the plans 21 points from memory. Don't quote me on any of the specifics!

The plan was incredibly well received by everyone, even opposition and environmental groups. It's not so much a transit plan as an all encompassing transport plan. It deals with everything from pedestrians and cyclists; bus, métro and trams; to motorists and truck drivers. Much of the work began last year, some is still in the public consultation phase and some is still awaiting financing and further study. It'll be interesting to see some shovels hit the ground for the bigger proposals such as the métro, tram etc. but as far as I know, most of the 21 points are a go.
Maybe trainrover can expand on much of this as he is the resident expert on transport.

1) Tramway
Three initial routes are planned. The first from métro Peel to de la Commune through the Old Port and up to métro Berri-UQÀM. The second will run up Côte-des-Neiges to Jean Talon and the third up Parc. The three will be connected by a line along René-Lévesque between Berri and Guy.

2) Light rail link from PET airport to downtown.

3) 336 new métro cars for the green line

4) Extend métro blue line to Pie IX and then 4 more stations to Anjou

5) Increase bus ridership 8% by 2012 with articulated buses on 20 busiest routes, mini buses on smaller routes etc.

6) Add carpool lanes to existing autoroutes

7) Add bus lanes to Champlain bridge and Bonaventure (which is being levelled and turned into a boulevard). Possible use of Champlain ice bridge as a light rail link to South Shore.

8) Establish BRT on Pie IX with the goal of an eventual tramway

9) Establish 240 km's of priority bus lanes with seperate lights and ROW etc.

10) Can't remember 10! It had something to do with employers, schools etc. making their buildings transit friendly and reducing car dependancy.

11) Rebuilding Rue Notre Dame
This is fairly controversial and is working it's way through the consultation process but it will include bus lanes and bike paths.

12) Eastern commuter rail line
This will be 51 km's, 12 sations running to Repentigny

13) Double the current bike path network from 400 km's to 800 km's by 2011, install 1000 additional bike posts (1000 installed last year) and more bike parking spots to displace car parking spaces. The cross-downtown de Maisonneuve lane was completed last Nov. and it's a beauty!

14+15) Pedestrian measures such as a pedestrian bill of rights (!), sidewalk widenings, reducing the speed limit from 50 to 40 kmh, more and better crosswalks etc.

16) Can't remember!

17) Improve dangerous intersections
These are being on a worst-first basis, 50 per year. Street narrowing, traffic calming, better lighting, countdown timers, altered parking etc.

18) List of road improvements finished, in progress, impending

19) Deals with trucks and transportation of heavy/dangerous goods

20) Establish one agency to deal with all of the above

21) Funding issues

I'll provide links when the site is back up and I hope that trainrover can provide more information.

[ssiguy2]

I went to the Montreal city government site and yes it was down.

I guess I didn't need it..........you have an incredible memory and I appreicate your help.

Sounds like a great plan. How much do they expect this all to coast and over what time frame?

I love trams. I thank god that Toronto never got rid of her's. The RedRockets are not only great transit providers but also add a real sense of urbanity. It would be great to see Montreal get streetcars back on the road. Its also good that they have set some money aside to fix some of Montreal's horrible streets. I seen one of Montreal's legendary potholes and I swear to god i nearly saw China.

I REALLY like the idea of a doubling of the bike system. Montreal and Calgary have the best systems in the country. Surprisingly, considering Vancouver's mild climate, it bike system is quite poor.

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

I went to the Montreal city government site and yes it was down.

I guess I didn't need it..........you have an incredible memory and I appreicate your help.

Sounds like a great plan. How much do they expect this all to coast and over what time frame?

I love trams. I thank god that Toronto never got rid of her's. The RedRockets are not only great transit providers but also add a real sense of urbanity. It would be great to see Montreal get streetcars back on the road. Its also good that they have set some money aside to fix some of Montreal's horrible streets. I seen one of Montreal's legendary potholes and I swear to god i nearly saw China.

I REALLY like the idea of a doubling of the bike system. Montreal and Calgary have the best systems in the country. Surprisingly, considering Vancouver's mild climate, it bike system is quite poor.

Haha! I don't drive here but I've heard the pothole stories. At first I thought that they were due to some wilfull negligence on the part of the city but after some investigation, I've discovered that it's mostly due to snow clearance and freeze/thaw cycles. We've had about 10 major snow storms this winter and each time I see the streets being scraped, I feel the potholes happening! There really isn't much that can be done until the city is certain that the snow is finished for the season. Here's a link to one of the many great English blogs 'Chicagoan in Montréal'. He attempts to explain it from an architect from Chicago point of view.

http://chicagomontreal.blogspot.com/...and-roads.html

The times and costs are all over the map so the best I can do is to post some case by case links. I'll try to post some articles relating to each point but it is difficult because many of them are in french and most people in the rest of the country won't be able to understand them.

I too love trams and kudos to Toronto for not abandoning them when it was fashionable to do so. I worry about the reliability factor here in winter but they sure are sexy!

The bike path system here is awesome! The majority of them are not just 'paths through parks' but real, everyday parts of the transportation system. I can ride from my house all the way to my university downtown on on-street, curbed, signed and signaled paths. We have a long way to go to catch up to Europe, but I've not seen anything comparable in North America. I'll post some photos and maps.

[ssiguy2]

Ya, Toronto and SF were the onkly cities in NA to actually have the urban vision to keep them and now everyone wishes they had done the same thing.
Yes, Montreal has a great bike system as does Calgary. Actually calgary has the longest bike route system in NA.
Montreal bike system is great and I'm glad to see the city make a firm stand that it is not just for the weekend outing but an intrical party of the transportation system.

oh, ya.....
any numbers on how much it will cost and how long do they think it will take to implement the whole transport initiatives?

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

Ya, Toronto and SF were the onkly cities in NA to actually have the urban vision to keep them and now everyone wishes they had done the same thing.
Yes, Montreal has a great bike system as does Calgary. Actually calgary has the longest bike route system in NA.
Montreal bike system is great and I'm glad to see the city make a firm stand that it is not just for the weekend outing but an intrical party of the transportation system.

oh, ya.....
any numbers on how much it will cost and how long do they think it will take to implement the whole transport initiatives?

Here are a few maps of the proposed tramway. The bottom loop is the first phase. It is part of 2 other major redevelopments, Griffintown and Société du Havre's Vision 2025 boulevardisation of the Bonaventure expressway. Griffintown is in the 'public kerfuffle' phase while the Bonaventure is in final study phase. Work will start in 2009 and be finished by 2012 and the budget is 90$ million. I would imagine that a final decision will have to be made regarding Griffintown before work on the tramway can begin. The total cost: 50$ million per km, 140$ million a year over 5 years. Bridge and highway tolls have been mentioned as possible financing mechanisms (a no-brainer in my opinion) as well as a gas tax.



First phase.


Second phase including Côte-des-Neiges, Parc, and René Lévesque. The grey areas are the RÉSO, or underground network


Future extensions including métro extensions. The first métro will be to Pie IX, then Anjou and Côte-Vertu to Bois-Franc

Link to Société du Havre website
http://www.havremontreal.qc.ca/en/index.htm

[trainrover]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

I'm quite surprised at how poor, compared to Toronto or Vancouver, the Metro frequencies are.

I disagree, the frequencies are far from comparatively poor. Most cities offer mass/light-rail-transit service frequencies at three per hour compared to Montreal's ten.

By the way, they increased the service frequency by 1/4 on 3/4s of its lines here.

Plus, I remember ex-Torontonians' frequent freak-outs back in the 1980s, incessantly exclaiming at the sardin-ish conditions underground here . . .

[ssiguy2]

Are these new streetcars to be regular routes or more like an LRT rapid transit like Toronto's TransitCity?
I love streetcars and would go well in Montreal due to her true urbanity.
One thing thou..................the areas Toronto's streetcars run along are flat. How would Montreal accomodate the streetcars due to being hillyer than Toronto?

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by ssiguy2

Are these new streetcars to be regular routes or more like an LRT rapid transit like Toronto's TransitCity?
I love streetcars and would go well in Montreal due to her true urbanity.
One thing thou..................the areas Toronto's streetcars run along are flat. How would Montreal accomodate the streetcars due to being hillyer than Toronto?

Judging by the stop placement on the map (3-4 per km), I'd have to say that they will be regular streetcars. I imagine that they will operate as streetcars in the core but if the BRT lines are converted in the future (such as Pie IX), they would operate more as LRT lines or hybrid LRT/streetcar with stop placement of 500m to 1 km. I pray that they use signal priority to avoid the delays and bunching that occur in Toronto. I've found it just as fast to walk sometimes as to take the King or Queen in Toronto! A streetcar without signal priority or ROW is just a bus on rails.

As for the hills, I imagine that will be a design specification. There has been talk of a Mont Royal route and the slope was one of the main concerns.

[Habfanman]

Here are the maps of the 6th commuter line, the long awaited train de l'est. 160 new doubledecker cars have been ordered from Bombardier at a cost of 386$ million. 30 will initially go to the new line with others increasing capacity on the other 5 lines. The line uses existing CN rails on the island with 12 km's of new track being laid off-island. It will join the Deux-Montagne line and share the Mont-Royal tunnel into Gare Centrale. The cost is 300$ million. 75% of the total costs are covered by the province and the balance by AMT.

The interesting station will be Pie IX. It will be an intermodal station, train/métro/BRT-eventually tram.


New line


Existing lines

[Habfanman]

The Smart Card is here! After finishing the trials and installing new card-reading turnstiles, the contactless smart card will be sold beginning in April. Cards can be reloaded at vending machines and need only be passed over the reader in the bus or the métro. No more swiping!!
It's about time that we joined the modern world!









In 2008, the STM will introduce a secure and durable smart card that can be charged with transit fares (monthly CAM, weekly CAM and tickets). Clients will also have the option of purchasing a disposable magnetic card that will contain a strip of six regular-fare tickets for travel on the STM network. It will still be possible to pay one’s fare in cash on the buses and to the fare collector in the métro.

The first phase of this modernization project was realized in 2006 with the installation of new boxes in the buses. The installation of the new fare box in all the STM buses was completed in the spring of 2007. In the métro stations, work has been carried out to accommodate the new turnstiles equipped with a reader that will be able to read the contactless smart card. In addition, work to renovate and construct new fare booths was necessary in order to modernize the sale of transit fares.

In spring 2008, new equipment will be put into operation in order to test the system with clients and employees and improve the procedures prior to the launching. The change will be gradual so as to enable clients to adapt. The old and new systems will co-exist to ease the transition as of spring 2008.

This project was carried out in conjunction with the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL), the Société de transport de Laval (STL), the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT), the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) and the Conseils intermunicipaux de transport serving the region of Montréal. The STM and its partners will provide more detail on the upcoming changes and their benefits in 2008.


The arrival of the smart card at the STM in 2008: to find out more
Q.1 What are the next steps?
A. Among other changes, clients will use a contactless smart card in the métro and bus network. The first visible change will be the installation of new turnstiles and automatic vending machines in the métro stations.

During the transition period, passengers are invited to pay attention to the changes in signage, the new information that will be circulated regularly, and new traffic habits. Refer to information leaflet New in your Métro station: new procedures to follow

Q.2 When will the smart card be available?
A. Transit fares will gradually be available through the STM’s agent network. To improve customer service, the sale of fares by the métro fare collectors will be modernized, and automatic vending machines will make their debut in the métro. The present turnstiles in the métro will be replaced by a new generation of turnstiles containing a smart card reader. Readers integrated into the new fare boxes in the buses will be activated to accommodate the smart cards.

Q.3 How will I able to pay my fare to the STM?
A. You will be able to pay by means of a smart card charged with a transit fare (monthly CAM, weekly CAM or tickets). Clients will also have the option of buying a disposable magnetic card that will contain a strip of six regular-fare tickets for travel on the STM network. It will also still be possible to pay for your passage in cash on the buses and to the fare collector in the métro.

Q.4 Is the equipment proven?
A. The STM acquired a technology that has already been proven elsewhere in the world, in cities such as Lyon, Paris, Barcelona and Milan. In Quebec, the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) is already using a smart card.

Q.5 Will new fares go into effect with the introduction of the smart card?
A. The various transit fares in effect will not be changed with the arrival of the smart card. The fares will be integrated into the smart card at the rate in effect at the time of purchase.

Q.6 Why introduce a smart card?
A. To facilitate the use of transit fares, secure passenger revenue and reduce the shortfall resulting from insufficient payments, fraud and theft.

Q.7 Is the smart card easy to use?
A. As the card is the contactless type, you simply need to pass it in front of the reader in the métro station turnstiles or in front of the fare box in the buses.

Q.8 Will the other transit companies be equipped with this type of card?
A. Yes, the same smart card will be used by the following transit companies: the STM, AMT, RTL, STL and RTC. In Quebec, the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) already uses a smart card.

Q.9 Is the smart card completely secure?
A. To date, the smart card technology is considered to be very reliable. Even the banking community is in the process of converting to this technology. The smart card will combine the transit fare and the identity card for those entitled to reduced fares.

Q.10 Did the STM consult with clients regarding these new changes?
A. Yes, tests with clients are an important factor in the realization of this project. In addition, the contributions of clients and employees will add to the elements of the customer communication campaign that is in the process of being prepared.

Fare box: to find out more
Q.1 Why did the STM buy new fare boxes?
A. The old boxes were obsolete, with their design dating back almost 100 years. They no longer met today’s requirements in terms of security.

Q.2 How does the fare box work?
A. It automatically counts the cash payment and validates the fare by means of sounds and lights. It accepts tickets
in a separate slot. It enables the driver to be aware of an incomplete payment or non-payment.

Q.3 What proportion of the population has been affected by the modernization of the fare collection system?
A. As the majority of clients (84%) buy monthly or weekly passes, this change affects only 16% of the clientele, those who pay with cash (3%) or tickets (13%).

Furthermore, clients have changed their habits somewhat because these boxes are equipped with a specific slot for the deposit of tickets and another for the deposit of coins. Like vending machines, the fare box does not accept pennies or dollar bills, and the coins must be deposited one at a time. If the payment is incomplete, a sound will be emitted, and a visual message displayed.

Q.4 Why does the box not accept pennies or dollar bills, and why must coins be deposited one at a time?
A. The STM’s mission is to deliver on-time service to the population. As coins must be inserted one at a time in the appropriate slot, it would be difficult to respect the schedules if several clients were paying with one-cent coins.

In addition, a client paying in cash is responsible for having the exact change when getting on the bus. Exact payment has been in effect on the STM buses since 1974.

Q.5 Has vandalism and the theft of fare boxes (old and new models) stopped?
A. Yes, and this demonstrates that the STM’s investment is paying off.

Q.6 What will happen to the old fare boxes?
A. For the time being, they are in storage. The STM is planning to make arrangements for these boxes, which are part of Montréal’s heritage. Details will be forthcoming.

[AnnaintheUK]

Hey Habsfanman, do you know if the new Sauvé or Ahunstic train stations will have parking by any chance?

[Habfanman]

Originally Posted by AnnaintheUK

Hey Habsfanman, do you know if the new Sauvé or Ahunstic train stations will have parking by any chance?

Good question Anna. I'll try to find out.

[AnnaintheUK]

Originally Posted by Habfanman

Good question Anna. I'll try to find out.

Thanks. I figure that it would be well appreciated since the city is trying to decrease the number of cars to downtown and not to mention the buses, trains and metro's do not come by as frequent as they should. Many of the of these stations really need parking.

[trainrover]

I`m afraid VdM ain`t really discouraging cars entering the city centre, it`s just talk. I doubt Station Sauvé -- to become Gare Sauvé in a few years` time -- will be assigned any parking (there`s a school on one corner, I think, that kitty-corners a park).

Did anybody hear on the news both today and yesterday about how 450 busses of the city`s (ahem) lone fleet being manufactured the past dozen years have not had their faulty engines fixed? Yeah, the mechanics` union`s right pissed about MTC management`s claim that the corp. has indeed fixed all the busses with well-known design flaw, being some hose in the engine unit that somehow combusts, especially since no less than one dozen busses burned to the ground the past five years, the last of which happened last week just outside Lionel-Groulx (hopefully to be renamed Oscar-Peterson) station. The union`s reportedly saying it can prove how the execs are shirking their mandate concerning safe operations.

The news must`ve been referring to that crappy Novabus model . . .

[habsfan]

the last of which happened last week just outside Lionel-Groulx (hopefully to be renamed Oscar-Peterson) station.

Good idea. Do we know if the city has any intentions on changing the name of that Metro station?

As a francophone Québecker, i am ashamed that one of our Metro stations is named after that anti-semitic prick. Oscar Peterson would be so much better!