Here's what there is to expect as far as schedule changes this weekend and next:

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

Details from the STM's website. For details on adapted transit or customer service, consult their page.

Note that from Dec. 24 to Jan. 8, the STM offers its Family Outings plan, which allows an adult to bring up to five children under 12 to ride for free with a fare-paying adult. (Normally this is allowed only during weekends and statutory holidays.) This does not apply to the 747 bus.

• Saturday, Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular Saturday schedule.
• Sunday, Dec. 25:
  • Most bus routes will run on a Sunday schedule.
  • Metro trains will pass about every 10-12 minutes on the green line and every 10 minutes on the other lines.
• Monday, Dec. 26:
  • Most bus routes will run on a special schedule.
  • Metro service will run on a special schedule, with additional trains added to the Orange and Green lines from 8:30am to 7pm to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
  • Monday to Friday shared taxi service will not be in operation.
• Dec. 27-30: Normal weekday schedules for all services.
• Saturday, Dec. 31:
  • Buses, metro and taxi service will follow a regular Saturday schedule.
  • Once again, there's no extension of metro service despite how many people are out celebrating New Year's Eve, but because it happens to be on a Saturday people get a half-hour more than usual. Last trains of the night leave the two blue line terminuses at 12:15am, in all five directions from Berri at 1:30am and from Longueuil at 1:30am.
• Sunday, Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro trains will pass about every 10-12 minutes on the green line and every 10 minutes on the other lines.
• Monday, Jan. 2:
  • Bus routes and metro trains will follow a special schedule.

Note that Opus cards can be recharged at any point after Dec. 20.

STL (Laval)

As usual, the STL offers free transit on its buses on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

• Saturday, Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Sunday, Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 804 and 903.
  • All other routes will have full regular Sunday service.
• Monday, Dec. 26: Saturday schedules in effect for all routes.
• Dec. 27-30: Regular weekday schedules for all routes.
• Saturday, Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Sunday, Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 804 and 903.
  • All other routes will have full regular Sunday service.
• Monday, Jan 2: Saturday schedule for all routes.

RTL (Longueuil)

Like the STL, the RTL is offering free service for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and is asking for donations in lieu of fares.

From their PDF guide:

• Saturday, Dec. 24 (free service): Saturday schedule for all routes
• Sunday, Dec. 25: Sunday schedule for all routes
• Monday, Dec. 26:
• Saturday schedules for most routes.
• Saturday schedule with additional departures on lines 8, 35, 45, 80.
• Weekday schedule for taxi lines T22 and T89.
• Dec. 27-30: Regular weekday service for all routes
• Saturday, Dec. 31 (free service): Saturday schedule for all routes
• Sunday, Jan. 1:
• Sunday schedule for all routes
• Monday, Jan. 2:
• Saturday schedules for most routes.
• Saturday schedule with additional departures on lines 8, 35, 45, 80.

AMT (commuter trains)

The AMT offers free trips on the two lines that operate on Christmas and New Year's - Dorion/Rigaud and Deux-Montagnes.

From their website:

• Saturday, Dec. 24: Regular Saturday service on all lines
• Sunday, Dec. 25:
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion (all trips are free)
• Monday, Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on other lines
• Dec. 27-30: Regular weekday service on all lines
• Saturday, Dec. 31: Regular Saturday service on all lines
• Sunday, Jan. 1:
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion (all trips are free)
• Monday, Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on other lines

Customer service at the AMT will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Related Posts

• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases
• Fagstein’s Guide to Holiday Transit

The STM's press release (sent on Friday, which made Métro's Mathias Marchal wonder if it was trying to get hidden in news coverage) talks about all the additional service it provides in exchange for this modest increase, and they're not making it up - there have been significant increases in transit service over the past few years. But for most users, that increase isn't enough - buses and metro trains are still packed during rush hour, and still don't seem to come often enough outside of it.

No more six tickets or CAM Longueuil

Two fares disappear completely from the grid for 2012. One is the CAM Longueuil, a compromise set up for 2011 that allowed users of the Longueuil metro station to transition from a regular STM fare to a Zone 3 fare.

People who use the Longueuil metro station (but who don't use the RTL network) will go from paying $82 a month ($49 reduced fare) to $117 a month ($70 reduced fare, $93.50 intermediate fare). This represents a 43% increase, or a whopping 91% increase for students 18-25.

The other item gone from the fare table is the six-trip package. Originally designed to be a single disposable magnetic card that could be used six times, the STM quickly started giving out six individual tickets when it noticed that careless users would discard their ticket after one use.

There is still the 10-ticket package available, but that requires an Opus card. This means that people who don't want an Opus card (say, tourists) must buy tickets two at a time or use the "Carte occasionnelle" one-day or three-day tourist pass.

Fare progression chart

Here's a chart showing the STM's fares over the past five years:

I'll leave it to you to decide if these increases are too much in the short or long term.

UPDATE: Here's some progression tables for Montreal's other transit agencies:

AMT

I value my sanity, so I won't do the entire fare table. I'll limit this table to the most popular fare, the TRAM fare, for each zone. (Zone 8 doesn't have any train stations, but does have some bus service). The full 2012 fare table is here (PDF).

The AMT says it will also maintain the "discount" allowing people using the Hudson train station, which is in Zone 6, to use a Zone 5 pass. This policy has been in place since Hudson (and Rigaud) were moved from Zone 5 to Zone 6 on Jan. 1, 2005.

STL

Slight hikes in all categories, including an increase in the cash fare from $2.80 to $3, which is equal to the STM cash fare and the cash fare to enter the Laval metro stations. It also brings it back up to the level it was in 2007. The fare was reduced in 2008 to encourage more people to use transit.

The full list of fares is here.

RTL

The full fare table for 2012 is here.

*In 2009, the RTL eliminated transfers and reduced single fares. (All other fares moved to electronic cards.) As of then, cash fares no longer allowed transfers, hence the reduction in price.

Related Posts

• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases
• AMT fares going up too
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit

As I have in previous years, I ask that you have some sympathy for the bus, metro or train driver, station attendant or other employee who has to work during the holidays - some on Christmas morning, some through midnight on New Year's Eve - just so that you can get you from point A to point B in the dark, wet, snowy mess that is the last week of the year.

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

(Mainly from the STM's website):

• Friday, Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
• Saturday, Dec. 25:
  • Most bus routes will run on a Saturday schedule.
  • Metro trains will pass about every 10-12 minutes on the green line and every 10 minutes on the other lines.
• Sunday, Dec. 26:
  • Most bus routes will run on a Sunday schedule.
  • Metro service will run on a regular Sunday schedule, though additional trains will be added to the Orange (8:30am-7:30pm) and Green (8:30am-5:45pm) lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
• Dec. 27-30: Normal weekday schedules for all services, though customer service and paratransit service have special hours and provisions for this week.
• Friday, Dec. 31:
  • Buses, metro and taxi service will follow a regular weekday schedule.
  • Once again, there's no extension of metro service despite how many people are out celebrating New Year's Eve. Last trains of the night leave the two blue line terminuses at 12:15am, in all five directions from Berri at 1am and from Longueuil at 1am.
  • Night buses with a special Friday night schedule (including the 358 Sainte-Catherine) will run on that schedule.
• Saturday, Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro trains will pass about every 10-12 minutes on the green line and every 10 minutes on the other lines.
• Sunday, Jan. 2:
  • All services will follow regular Sunday schedules.

Note that Opus cards can be recharged at any point after Dec. 20.

STL (Laval)

As usual, the STL offers free transit on its buses on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (PDF).

• Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 804 and 903.
  • The following will have full regular Sunday service: 17, 24, 26, 42, 43, 48, 50, 52, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, and 151.
• Dec. 26: Regular Sunday schedules in effect for all routes.
• Dec. 27-30: Regular weekday schedules for all routes.
• Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 804 and 903.
  • The following will have full regular Sunday service: 17, 24, 26, 42, 43, 48, 50, 52, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, and 151.
• Jan 2: Regular Sunday schedule for all routes.

RTL (Longueuil)

Like the STL, the RTL is offering free service for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and is asking for donations in lieu of fares.

From their PDF guide:

• Dec. 24 (free service):
  • Regular weekday schedule for lines 91, 92, T22, T89
  • Saturday schedule for lines 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 29, 32, 41/43, 49, 50, 54, 61, 74, 75, 88, 132, T18, T20, T48 and T92 p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Georgia}
  • Special schedule for lines 8, 13, 17, 20, 23, 123, 35, 42, 44, 45, 54, 73, 77, 80, 81, 83, 99 and T77 (see PDF flyer for complete schedule) p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 13.0px Georgia}
  • No service on other lines

• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Dec. 26:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Regular service for all routes according to the day of the week
• Dec. 31 (free service):
  • Regular weekday schedule for lines 91, 92, T22, T89
  • Saturday schedule for lines 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 29, 32, 41/43, 49, 50, 54, 61, 74, 75, 88, 132, T18, T20, T48 and T92
  • Special schedule for lines 8, 13, 17, 20, 23, 123, 35, 42, 44, 45, 54, 73, 77, 80, 81, 83, 99 and T77 (see PDF flyer for complete schedule)
  • No service on other lines
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Jan. 2:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes

AMT (commuter trains)

The AMT offers free trips on the two lines that operate on Christmas and New Year's - Dorion/Rigaud and Deux-Montagnes.

From their website:

• Friday, Dec. 24: Regular weekday service on all lines
• Saturday, Dec. 25:
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion (all trips are free)
  • No service on the other lines
• Sunday, Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
• Dec. 27-31: Regular service on all lines according to day of the week
• Saturday, Jan. 1:
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion (all trips are free)
  • No service on the other lines
• Sunday, Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion

Customer service at the AMT will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Related Posts

• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases
• Fagstein’s Guide to Holiday Transit

Here's what to expect from the Montreal-area transit authorities for service this holiday season, including special holiday service schedules and free service days.

Once again, I ask that you have some sympathy for the bus or metro driver who has to work during the holidays getting whiny vomiting drunk people from A to B in thick snow.

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

(From the STM's website):

• Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
• Dec. 25:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be about every 10 minutes on all lines.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 26:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on a regular Saturday schedule, though additional trains will be added to the Orange (9:45am-7:30pm) and Green (12pm-5:45pm) lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
• Dec. 27: Normal Sunday schedules for all services, but regular schedules for paratransit are cancelled.
• Dec. 28-30:
  • Bus, metro and taxi service as normal according to day of the week.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is open 8:30am to 4:30pm.
• Dec. 31:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule. (Note that last trains leave Berri-UQAM just before 1am and both Blue Line terminuses at 12:15am).
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
• Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be at every 10 minutes on all lines.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Jan. 2:
  • All services will follow regular Saturday schedules.

Note that Opus cards can be recharged at any point after Dec. 20.

STL (Laval)

As usual, the STL offers free transit on its buses on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve (PDF).

• Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 804 et 903.
• Dec. 26-30: Regular schedules according to the day of the week.
• Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 804 et 903.
• Jan 2: Saturday schedule.

RTL (Longueuil)

Like the STL, the RTL is offering free service for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and is asking for donations in lieu of fares.

From their PDF guide:

• Dec. 24 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 20, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 77 (replacing 177) 80, 81, 83, 123 and T77 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T99 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Dec. 26:
  • Saturday schedule for all routes
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Regular service for all routes according to the day of the week
• Dec. 31 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 20, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 77 (replacing 177) 80, 81, 83, 123 and T77 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T99 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday schedule for all routes

AMT (Commuter trains)

The AMT offers free trips on the two lines that operate on Christmas and New Year's - Dorion/Rigaud and Deux-Montagnes.

From their website:

• Dec. 24: Regular weekday service on all lines
• Dec. 25: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
• Dec. 27-31: Regular service on all lines according to day of the week
• Jan. 1: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion

Customer service at the AMT will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day

Related Posts

• Fagstein’s Guide to Holiday Transit
• Your guide to holiday transit service
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit

The Réseau de transport de Longueuil became the last major transit agency in the area to announce its fare schedule for 2010 on Friday, based on a decision supposedly taken at a board meeting on Dec. 3 (which took 15 days to publicize?)

Here's how it breaks down:

The policy of having cash fares that don't allow transfers is being maintained, much to the dismay of groups that demand transfers be reinstated.

The RTL notes that 48% of its clients use an AMT multi-zone pass, most commonly Zone 3, which covers Longueuil.

Related Posts

• Transit fares for 2012
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases
• RTL fares for 2009 to piss off occasional users
• AMT fares going up too
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit

But in the past couple of years, the transit agencies have been lazy, pushing late November into early December, giving people only a few weeks to prepare.

Now, this may seem trivial. In the past, the only real effect of cutting it this close has been printing monthly passes without prices on them (AA$ and BB$) for January and February. But it seems just another disrespect of users for these transit agencies to not follow their own rules.

La Presse points out that the STM and RTL haven't yet given notice of their fares for 2009, the STL didn't respond to say whether or not it had, and the AMT has apparently given notice to the government but not its users about fares for 2010.

The 30 days notice comes from Quebec's law concerning public transit corporations, section 90:

Titres de transport.

90. Une société établit, par règlement, différents titres de transport et en fixe les tarifs selon les modalités et pour les catégories d'usagers qu'elle détermine.

Tarifs.

Le secrétaire publie ces tarifs dans un journal diffusé dans le territoire de la société et les affiche dans les véhicules de la société. Ils entrent en vigueur le trentième jour qui suit cette publication ou à toute autre date ultérieure qui y est fixée.

Entrée en vigueur accélérée.

Cependant, lorsque la société est d'avis que des circonstances exceptionnelles le justifient, les tarifs peuvent entrer en vigueur à compter du dixième jour de leur publication pourvu qu'elle publie également les motifs de sa décision.

2001, c. 23, a. 90.

It's unclear if the transit agencies are ignoring the law, if this law somehow doesn't apply to them (or maybe I've read it wrong) or they're using that "exceptional circumstances" rule.

One thing is clear, as far as public notice goes, this is becoming a habit. Last year, the RTL, STL and AMT all announced fare schedules less than 30 days before Jan. 1. Only the STM announced its fares in November.

There are no exceptional circumstances. We should have fare tables by now.

Related Posts

• Transit fares for 2012
• AMT fares going up too
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit

The Réseau de transport de Longueuil, which handles public transit in Longueuil and its merged and demerged suburbs, is making a big effort to add service in a new schedule which began on Monday, especially in St. Bruno, which it had served with a handful of bus and collective taxi lines through an agreement with Veolia Transport. The contract (which the RTL points out predates its own existence) expired on Sunday, and the RTL is taking over service directly.

Among the additions, some of which are outlined in the press release:

• 55: One new departure in the afternoon rush hour
• 73: Two new departures in the afternoon rush hour
• 80: Two new departures in the afternoon rush hour
• 98: This route, which had previously only served St. Bruno locally, has been extended to Terminus Longueuil (but only during rush hours). A section on Grand Boulevard has been cut from its route, and will be served instead by the T99 taxi service.
• T-20: Two new departures in the morning rush hour
• T-89: Service extended to Saturday and Sunday rush hours
• Other service improvements have been made on routes 20, 47, 91, 92, 99, 132, 192, T-23, and T-99
• Other changes have been made to schedules on routes 10, 14, 15, 21, 30, 31, 34, 37, 38, 42, 44, 48, 49, 54, 73, 78, 85, 115, 132 and 142
• Two lines, 93 and T94, have been removed from service. They both served St. Bruno and are being replaced with added service to other lines

Related Posts

• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• STM to renumber bus routes in January
• STM’s night bus overhaul increases service by 73%
• STM’s in my lane

Here's what to expect from the Montreal-area transit authorities for service this holiday season, including special holiday service schedules and free service days.

Once again, I ask that you have some sympathy for the bus or metro driver who has to work during the holidays getting whiny vomiting drunk people from A to B in thick snow.

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

(From the STM's website):

• Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
• Dec. 25:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be about every 10 minutes on all lines.
  • January CAM monthly transit passes will be sold at the following metro stations only (remember there's a transit fare increase for January, $68.50 for a regular pass):
    • Berri-UQAM
    • Côte-Vertu
    • Jean-Talon
    • McGill
    • Lionel-Groulx
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 26:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on Sunday schedules (Saturday for the Blue line), however additional trains will be added to the Orange (9:45am-7:30pm) and Green (12pm-5:45pm) lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
  • January CAM monthly transit passes will be sold at the following metro stations only (remember there's a transit fare increase for January, $68.50 for a regular pass):
    • Berri-UQAM
    • Côte-Vertu
    • Jean-Talon
    • McGill
    • Lionel-Groulx
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Bus, metro and taxi service as normal according to day of the week.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is open 8:30am to 4pm (Dec. 27/28 only).
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations (remember there's a transit fare increase for January, $68.50 for a regular pass).
• Dec. 31:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule. (Note that last trains leave Berri-UQAM just before 1am and both Blue Line terminuses at 12:15am).
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.
• Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be at every 10-12 minutes on all lines.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.
• Jan. 2:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on Sunday schedules.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.

Note that Opus cards can be recharged at any point after Dec. 20.

Opening hours for various STM departments (PDF).

STL (Laval)

Note: The STL by tradition has free service days on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, however it has not made any public statements suggesting it will repeat the tradition this year yet (finally...). During Laval's free service days, drivers collect for the STL's Boomerang Committee, which provides breakfasts to needy children.

• Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for the following routes: 17, 24, 26, 42, 43, 48, 50, 52/252, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, 151
  • Modified Sunday schedule for remaining routes (departures cancelled before 10:30am and after 9pm): 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 228, 804, 903
• Dec. 26: Saturday schedule.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    
• Dec. 27-30: Regular schedules according to the day of the week.
• Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    
• Jan. 1: Special schedule for all routes. For most routes, it's a Sunday schedule with departures cancelled before 11am and at or after 8pm. Check your bus's schedule. The following routes are the exception: they will have regular Sunday morning and evening departures: 17, 24, 26, 42, 48, 50, 52/252, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, 151.
• Jan 2: Sunday schedule.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    

RTL (Longueuil)

From their PDF guide:

• Dec. 24 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 80, 81, 83, 123 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all buses
• Dec. 26:
  • Lines 8, 35, 45, 80 operate on a special schedule
  • No service on lines 91, 92, 93
  • Lines T22, T89 and T94 operate on a weekday schedule
  • All other lines will run on a Saturday schedule
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Regular service for all buses according to the day of the week
• Dec. 31 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 80, 81, 83, 123 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all buses
• Jan. 2:
  • Lines 45 and 80 operate on a special schedule
  • No service on lines 91, 92, 93
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule

*During free service days, the RTL will be collecting money for Loisirs thérapeutiques de Saint-Hubert.

AMT (Commuter trains)

(From their website):

• Dec. 24: Regular weekday service on all lines, except:
  • Special departure on St. Hilaire line, 1pm from Central Station
• Dec. 25: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 27-30: Regular service on all lines according to day of the week
• Dec. 31: Regular weekday service except:
  • Special departure on St. Hilaire line, 1pm from Central Station
• Jan. 1: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines

Customer service at the AMT will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day

Other transit authorities

CITSO (Châteauguay etc.):

• Saturday schedule for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, Jan. 2. No downtown express service
• Free service on Christmas Day and New Year's Day

CRTL Lanaudière (eastern north shore):

• Sunday schedule for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, Jan. 2.
• Free service on Christmas Day and New Year's Day

CIT Laurentides (western north shore): See notices on their website

CIT Le Richelain (Candiac, La Prairie, St. Philippe, via PDF):

• Saturday schedule for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, Jan. 2.

CIT Vallée du Richelieu (St. Hilaire, St. Hyacinthe, St. Bruno, McMasterville, etc., via PDF):

• Saturday schedule for route 200 on Dec. 26.
• Sunday schedule for route 200 on Dec. 25, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2.
• No service on any other lines for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1 or Jan. 2.
• Free service on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Happy holidays folks.

Related Posts

• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit
• Your guide to holiday transit service
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit

The big thing here is a reduction in the single fare rate to encourage more occasional use. In exchange, transit users paying cash won't be issued a transfer and would have to pay for each individual leg of their trip unless they get a smart card or their new "disposable" Solo card (is advertising something as disposable really such a great idea in this eco-conscious world?).

Considering how "very occasional users" usually pay cash and are unaware of where the ticket offices are, this is bound to inconvenience tourists, visitors from other transit zones and anyone else who isn't a regular or semi-regular user of public transit in Longueuil.

*Single tickets will no longer be available in reduced form. All passengers will be required to pay $3 cash, regardless of age. Solo passes are available in groups of no less than six tickets.

*Both the RTL press release and the Presse Canadienne cut-and-paste (and, of course, all the websites that republished it) have this backwards, which would result in a reduction.

The good news is that the RTL is confident it will meet the 8% increased ridership challenge set by the Quebec government by the end of 2009 (the deadline is 2011). Transit authorities who meet the 8% increase target get a gajillion dollars from the government, and a cookie.

Still waiting on AMT fares for 2009, but the RTL release hints that the TRAM 3 pass will go up by 3.5%, which means the $105 regular Zone 3 pass would go up to $108 or $109 a month.

Related Posts

• Transit fares for 2012
• RTL slow with the news
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases
• AMT fares going up too
• Family transit fares don’t make sense

For an example, here's a route by public transit from Fairview Pointe-Claire (where all the anglos hang out, didn't you know?) to The Gazette's offices on Ste. Catherine St. downtown. (Et, bien sûr, c'est aussi disponible en français)

The service, which is also available in Vancouver, Ottawa, Fredericton and dozens of U.S. cities, and had previously included AMT train service (which was much easier since there are much fewer departures to put in a database), is effectively a competitor to the STM's existing Tous Azimuts service, which although revolutionary when it was introduced is now over a decade old and doesn't meet today's usability standards. Google Transit is slicker, faster and easier to use.

Like Tous Azimuts, Google Transit suggests alternate routes, says how long they'll take, and provides the time of departure and arrival of each bus or metro.

This is no simple undertaking. Google requires the transit agency to provide a database of all departures for all routes in a specific format. We're talking thousands and thousands of departures here.

This might also make other third-party STM trip-planning services obsolete, as Google Maps becomes a must-have application for cellphones.

UPDATE: I'm told by a helpful reader below that this also includes off-island transit networks like the Société de transport de Laval and the AMT-administered CITs, but not the south shore RTL network yet RTL data just went live so it now includes all the networks.

UPDATE (Oct. 29): Google, the STM, STL, RTL and AMT are making the joint announcement today, 10am at Google's Montreal HQ (1253 McGill College) (Thanks Jean). Google Transit has already been updated to list all the transit agencies in the area (thanks Dumitru).

Expect media coverage of the new service during the evening news. Some technology media are already covering it. UPDATE: more pieces from The Gazette, Branchez-Vous and RadCan. And Tristan Péloquin has some background about this project.

Google has also setup a special page with an introductory video in French and English, thought the English version has a British narrator and uses New York as an example.

Related Posts

• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases

To most people, this is just a bus. The kind that will take you to work on a daily basis.

But to a select few, this rust bucket is something special. A group of about 30 public transit fans chartered this RTL bus for a day last weekend, just for fun. I tell their story in today's paper.

I first met the transit inclined a few years ago, and went along with a similar charter trip in 2006. Then, the group chartered one of the STM's oldest active buses, No. 59-019. At the time, there were suggestions the bus was near retirement and might not see regular service again. This was billed as one last ride on one of the few remaining STM buses with a non-electronic rollsign.

I've always wanted to write about these guys (though there aren't many stereotypes that tie them together, they are almost universally male), but I never got a chance to before now.

This is Shanake Mario Seneviratne, aka SMS. He organizes the charters.

This is Tristan Roy, the driver. He's a transit fan as well, and volunteered to drive the bus around for free. That helped reduce the cost, as well as provide a few perks.

By coincidence, during one of the first stops at LaSalle metro (which used to be a terminus for some then-STRSM bus routes), there was No. 60-013 sitting a few stops ahead ready to do a run of the No. 12 Île des Soeurs route. The 60-series buses date back to 1990 and are among the oldest STM buses still in service (though a year younger than the 59-series). 59- and 60-series buses are few and far between, especially outside of weekday rush hour. Seeing this bus on a Saturday morning is unusual, hence all the excitement.

This plate, installed above the driver's window, is hard to make out, but places the date of manufacture at November 1989.

Though the hope is always that beautiful sunny weather will prevail, rain was on hand for a good portion of the charter, necessitating umbrellas and camera-protection gear.

At one point, Tristan gets out and wipes away the rain off the front rollsign of the bus. Unfortunately that did nothing for the fog on the other side of the glass.

Operating the manual rollsign is the funnest part of this activity. Before the electronic signs were installed, drivers would have to press a button that scrolled up and down through two rolls of digits and a roll of names (the latter could take forever getting from A to Z). Because the sign is almost 20 years old, there are plenty of names of routes that no longer exist. Some of the stops involved going to places no longer served by the RTL and setting up the rollsign to display the name of a route that no longer exists.

The rollsign also has a few typos.

One of the charter participants takes a photo of the bus at LaSalle metro.

At the St. Hubert garage, Tristan lined up three types of buses the RTL currently uses. On the left, a Van Hool AG300 articulated low-floor bus, used mostly on the 45 express bus between Terminus Centre-Ville and Panama terminus. On the right, a Novabus LFS low-floor bus, which is what most of the STM fleet is currently made of.

This is Mike Boone. Apparently no relation to this Mike Boone. This guy is from Belleville, Ont., one of many who made the trek from far for the opportunity to explore with fellow transit fans. What he's doing, by the way, is not recommended while buses are in motion.

Here's Boone again taking photos. While everyone was taking photos of the bus, trying not to get anyone else in their shots (and staying out of the shots of others), I was focusing on taking photos of the transit fans, who were the subjects of my story.

If this kind of thing appeals to you, be sure to check out the Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board (in English) and MétrodeMontréal forums (in French), as well as the YUL bus charters official website.

Related Posts

• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• Front-seat driver
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit

The seemingly unsustainable situation, where the paper has been relying on quasi-legal Canoë, Journal de Montréal, wire service and management workers to put out the paper while the unionized workers have been publishing a competing free paper five days a week, has gone on so long that union members are being offered subscriptions to the Journal, and MédiaMatin has started a classified section:

The Journal is clearly not ready to back down, and as long as the union gets support from its solidarity-bretheren (the latest is the Réseau de transport de Longueuil) as well as overwhelming moral support from the public, they're not about to fold up shop either.

Related Posts

• MédiaMatinQuébec is dead
• Indefinite lockout
• One year and counting
• Triste
• Journal de Québec lockout: six months later

What better time to contemplate that most exciting of holiday traditions: complicated transit service schedules!

Fear not folks. Below is a day-by-day guide to what you can come to expect from the Montreal-area transit networks. Take a glance at it if you're planning to take a bus anywhere near Christmas or New Year's this year.

And have a bit of sympathy for that bus driver who has to spend midnight on New Year's Eve stuck at a traffic light handing out transfers.

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

(From the STM's website):

• Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
• Dec. 25:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be at every 10-12 minutes on all lines.
  • January CAM monthly transit passes will be sold at the following metro stations only (remember there's a transit fare increase for January, $66.25 for a regular pass):
    • Berri-UQAM
    • Côte-Vertu
    • Jean-Talon
    • McGill
    • Lionel-Groulx
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 26:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on Sunday schedules (Saturday for the Blue line), however additional trains will be added to the Orange (9am-6pm) and Green (11:30am-6pm) lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day Shoppers.
  • January CAM monthly transit passes will be sold at the following metro stations only (remember there's a transit fare increase for January, $66.25 for a regular pass):
    • Berri-UQAM
    • Côte-Vertu
    • Jean-Talon
    • McGill
    • Lionel-Groulx
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Bus, metro, taxi and paratransit service as normal according to day of the week.
  • Paratransit customer service open 8:30am-noon and 1pm-4pm (Dec. 27/28 only).
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations (remember there's a transit fare increase for January, $66.25 for a regular pass).
• Dec. 31:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule. (Note that last trains leave Berri-UQAM just before 1am and both Blue Line terminuses at 12:15am).
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service closed.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations (remember there's...).
• Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be at every 10-12 minutes on all lines.
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.
• Jan. 2:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on Sunday schedules (Saturday for the Blue line).
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.

Note that monthly passes for January will be available up to and including Jan. 7 at all metro stations, due to the holidays. As of Jan. 8, you'll have to go to one of these metro stations to buy a pass:

• Berri-UQAM
• Côte-Vertu
• Jean-Talon
• McGill
• Lionel-Groulx

STL (Laval)

During Laval's free service days, drivers will be collecting for the STL's Boomerang Committee, which provides breakfasts to needy children.

For the Express 902 bus, see the special section below.

• Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service.
• Dec. 25: Special schedule for all routes. For most routes, it's a Sunday schedule with departures cancelled before 11am and at or after 9pm. Check your bus's schedule. The following routes are the exception: they will have regular Sunday morning and evening departures: 17, 24, 26, 42, 48, 50, 52/252, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, 151.
• Dec. 26: Saturday schedule.
• Dec. 27-30: Regular schedules according to the day of the week.
• Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service.
• Jan. 1: Special schedule for all routes. For most routes, it's a Sunday schedule with departures cancelled before 11am and at or after 8pm. Check your bus's schedule. The following routes are the exception: they will have regular Sunday morning and evening departures: 17, 24, 26, 42, 48, 50, 52/252, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, 151.
• Jan 2: Sunday schedule.

RTL (Longueuil)

From their PDF guide:

• Dec. 24:
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 81, 83, 123 will operate on a special schedule (see PDF).
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule (line 92's 5:10pm Longueuil departure will be delayed 5 minutes).
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule.
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all buses.
• Dec. 26:
  • Lines 8 and 45 will run on a special schedule (see PDF).
  • Lines T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule.
  • All other lines will run on a Saturday schedule.
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Regular service for all buses according to the day of the week.
• Dec. 31:
  • Lines 8, 23, 45, 54 and 123 will run on a special schedule (see PDF).
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule (line 92's 5:10pm Longueuil departure will be delayed 5 minutes).
  • Saturday schedule for all other buses.
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all buses.
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday schedule for all buses.

AMT (Commuter trains)

(From their website):

• Dec. 24: Regular weekday service except:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • On the Montreal/Mont-Saint-Hilaire line:
    • Train No. 805 to Montreal (7:05am in Saint-Hilaire, arriving at Central Station at 7:50am) is cancelled -- so take the train 13 minutes before or 27 minutes after.
    • A special train is added in the afternoon, leaving Central Station at 1pm for those who leave work early.
• Dec. 25: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 27-30: Regular service on all lines according to day of the week
• Dec. 31: Regular weekday service except:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • On the Montreal/Mont-Saint-Hilaire line:
    • Train No. 805 to Montreal (7:05am in Saint-Hilaire, arriving at Central Station at 7:50am) is cancelled -- so take the train 13 minutes before or 27 minutes after.
    • A special train is added in the afternoon, leaving Central Station at 1pm for those who leave work early.
• Jan. 1: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines

Express 902

The situation for this bus, which runs from the Côte-Vertu metro to Carrefour Laval is complicated by the fact that it's run directly by the AMT, as opposed to the STM or STL. It's complicated even more by the fact that responsibility for the line will be transferred as of Jan. 1 from the AMT to the STL. So STL rules will apply to the bus as of Jan. 1. (In other words, no free rides on this bus.)
From the bus's (current AMT) schedule (PDF):

• Dec. 24: Reduced schedule.
• Dec. 25: No service.
• Dec. 26: Reduced schedule.
• Dec. 27, 28: Regular schedule.
• Dec. 31: Reduced schedule.
• Jan. 1: No service.
• Jan. 2: Reduced schedule.

Reduced schedule: Buses will run every 30 minutes during one-way rush-hour (toward Montreal from 6:30am to 9am, toward Laval 4pm to 6pm) and every hour the rest of the day. Last bus in both directions departs at 9:59pm. Full schedule is at the bottom of the PDF.

Happy holidays folks.

Related Posts

• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit
• Fagstein’s Guide to Holiday Transit
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit

Following the STM/STL transit fare increases announced last week, the Agence métropolitaine de transport has put out its list. Fare increases for monthly passes range between 1.0% and 3.8%:

STM (Montreal):

STL (Laval):

Still no word from the RTL about Longueuil rates for 2008.

UPDATE (Dec. 18): Finally the RTL releases their 2008 rates. The increase is substantial, especially for reduced fare monthly passes.

Related Posts

• Transit fares for 2012
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases
• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit

So imagine someone taking public transit from western Laval to Brossard. That person would have to take an STL bus ($3), the metro ($2.75), and an RTL bus ($3.25). Total cost: $9.

We have, thanks to the Agence métropolitaine de transport, a "zone" monthly pass, which allows unlimited travel in multiple transit networks at a price considerably below what you'd pay for the different network's passes individually. Why can't we do something about individual trips to save people some money?

Part of the STM's plan as they introduce a smart card system next year will be to be able to control zoning better. This will probably mean that a trip between downtown and the West Island will cost more than a trip within the downtown area. Hopefully this might also mean it'll cost less than $9 to cross three transit networks on a single trip.

Related Posts

• Fagstein’s 2011-12 guide to holiday transit
• Transit fares for 2012
• Fagstein’s 2010-11 guide to holiday transit
• 2009-10 guide to holiday transit
• Transit agencies aren’t giving enough notice of fare increases