A while back, I did up a chart to give some context to the STM’s proposed fare hikes for 2013. Since then, the city of Montreal has decided to increase its allocation to the STM and allow the transit agency to lower its fare hikes. So here’s an amended chart with the new numbers.
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 (new) | Change 2008-2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly CAM (regular) | $66.25 (+1.9%) | $68.50 (+3.4%) | $70 (+2.2%) | $72.75 (+3.9%) | $75.50 (+3.8%) | $77 (+2.0%) |
+16.2% |
| Monthly CAM (reduced) | $36 (+2.9%) | $37 (+2.8%) | $38.75 (+4.7%) | $41 (+5.8%) | $43.75 (+6.7%) | $45 (+2.9%) |
+25% |
| Four-month CAM (reduced fare only) | N/A | N/A | $148 ($37/month) | $155 ($38.75/month) (+4.7%) | $164 ($41/month) (+5.8%) | $175 ($43.75/month)(+6.7%) | +18.2% (2010-13) |
| Weekly CAM (regular) | $19.25 (+1.3%) | $20 (+3.9%) | $20.50 (+2.5%) | $22 (+2.5%) | $23.50 (+6.8%) | $23.75 (+1.0%) |
+23.4% |
| Weekly CAM (reduced) | $11 (+2.3%) | $11.25 (+2.3%) | $11.50 (+2.2%) | $12.75 (+10.9%) | $13.75 (+7.8%) | $14 (+1.8%) |
+27.3% |
| Three-day tourist pass | $17 (unchanged) | $17 (unchanged) | $14 (-17.6%) |
$16 (+14.3%) | $16 (unchanged) | $18 (+12.5%) | +5.9% |
| 24-hour tourist pass (Also used as 747 fare) |
$9 (unchanged) | $9 (unchanged) | $7 (-22.2%) | $8 (+14.3%) | $8 (unchanged) | $9 (+12.5%) | None |
| Evening pass (after 6pm) | N/A | N/A | N/A | $4 | $4 (unchanged) | $4 (unchanged) | None (2011-13) |
| 10 trips (Opus card only) (regular) | N/A | $20 | $21 ($2.10/trip) (+5%) | $22.50 ($2.25/trip) (+7.1%) | $24 ($2.40/trip) (+6.7%) | $24.50 (+2.1%) |
+16.7% (2009-13) |
| 10 trips (Opus card only) (reduced) | N/A | $10.75 ($1.08/trip) | $12 ($1.20/trip) (+11.6%) | $13 ($1.30/trip) (+8.3%) |
$14 ($1.40/trip) (+7.7%) | $14.50 (+3.6%) |
+34.9% (2009-13) |
| Two trips (regular) | N/A | N/A | N/A | $5.50 ($2.75/trip) | $5.50 (unchanged) | $5.50 (unchanged) | None (2011-13) |
| Two trips (reduced) | N/A | N/A | N/A | $3.50 ($1.75/trip) | $3.50 (unchanged) | $3.50 (unchanged) | None (2011-13) |
| Single fare (regular) | $2.75 (unchanged) | $2.75 (unchanged) | $2.75 (unchanged) | $3 (+9.1%) | $3 (unchanged) | $3 (unchanged) | +9.1% |
| Single fare (reduced) | $1.75 (unchanged) | $1.75 (unchanged) | $1.75 (unchanged) | $2 (+14.3%) | $2 (unchanged) | $2 (unchanged) | +14.3% |
| Consumer price index for Montreal | 2.1% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 2.8% | 1.8% (projected) | N/A | +10.9% (projected) |
So what do you think? Is this easier to stomach? If not, what should be done about it?
You should compare the price increases to the increase in the price of oil instead of the CPI.
Or how about the price of electricity? The metro doesn’t run on gas you know (obviously the buses do but I’m just making a point)
Not really a good comparison, because the electricity prices in Montreal are artificially low. No, they aren’t low compared to the cost to produce (HQ makes a nice profit every year) but rather when compared to what the power is worth on the open market, it’s pretty low in Quebec overall. Even at that the price increases (retail) for electricity have been up a fair bit over the same time period, and when blended with the costs of fuel for the buses, it’s incredible to think that bus passes haven’t gone up 30 or 40% to make up for it.
I live in Winnipeg MB, and my monthly pass is $77 (going up to $82.80 next year), and I don’t have a metro or 24-hour buses.
I think that if you re-did the consumer price index as a price index of diesel fuel costs, I think you might see that the fare increases are actually much smaller in the last decade than they should be.
Is the AMT raising fares on the commuter trains? I imagine this is the year that Zone 2 fares surpass $100 a month, but I haven’t seen that posted anywhere.
The AMT’s 2013 rates are posted here. The Zone 2 monthly TRAM pass will be $102 as of Jan. 1.
The Opus Plus 1 year pass gives 2 months free. That is a pretty significant cost savings that wasn’t an option in 2008
And still lousy service to the West Island and beyond!
How is it lousy? They’ve added new express buses to Lionel-Groulx, and doubled the number of night buses serving the West Island.
Getting from place to place within the West island can be very hard. Going from Wallmart on St. Charles to Gallerie des Source on Sources can easily take over an hour when the same trip by car can take less then 10 minuets.
As fro the new buses, I have only used the 485 myself and I find it totally unreliable. Going from the WI to downtown is fine. The bus was hardly ever late. Going from Lionel Groux back home is what was very annoying.
What you have to know about the 485 is that there is a short route and a long route. The short route stops at Fairview while the long route goes west of St. Charles. I live west of St. Charles.
The 6:30PM bus would never come at 6:30PM. More than 50% of the time it would be late or not show up at all. Most of the 485s that would show up between 6:30PM and 7:00PM were the short route not the long, so I would have to wait for the next bus. Oh good, another short route arrives. After three months of complaining to the STM I gave up on that bus. Now that its winter, I have no interest in waiting outside with no shelter for up to 30 minuets.
I understand traffic can make things unpredictable, but almost every single day? Come on.
I’ve gone back to the only means that work for me. Drive my car to the Pointe-Claire train station and take the train. No waiting outside at all. All of the stations have indoor shelters that are heated or partially heated. No more waiting for a bus that may or may not come. Just get into my car, drive for up to 15 minuets and relax at home.
I am all for giving second chances so when the weather warms up in May, I will give the 485 another try. If the STM plays the same game with me again, back to my car I go.
STM yearly bus pass price increase is exponentially insane.
Still half the price of the equivalent card in London. $126 in Toronto. I think you’d be hard pressed to find any major city with a lower cost transit pass than Montreal.
I think Train de l’Ouest project is abandoned.
Just as well. Will cost a gazillion dollars and isn’t needed.