Today, as the Agence métropolitaine de transport handed out its rebate “compensation” coupons, I decided to put my game-the-system idea to the test. And it worked flawlessly.
You’ll recall I pointed out that the AMT “compensation” system was billed as a refund but wasn’t being organized in that way. Instead of asking people for their January passes and giving people half-refunds based on those passes (as the STM did in 2007), the AMT has instead discounted the price of its March, April and May monthly passes for anyone who can procure a coupon.
Normally, AMT multi-zone TRAM passes are more expensive than passes from individual transit agencies for obvious, logical reasons. But with this 50% rebate, that math is broken, and it’s cheaper to get a discounted AMT pass (which allows access to the entire STM network) than a regular STM-only pass.
The AMT’s way of controlling who got rebates was particularly stupid: Hand out coupons at train stations and assume that anyone there regularly takes that train and is entitled to a refund.
AMT employee hands out coupons at Central Station, complete with reflective vest (coupon disbursement is dangerous, don't you know?)
In my previous post, I suggested that you might need to pay for a train ticket if the coupons are being given out in a fare-paid area. As you can see, that isn’t necessary as the coupons are being handed out in front of the gates. Just go up and ask for one and you will receive.
And that’s what I did.
AMT Deux Montagnes rebate coupon
At the Lucien L’Allier station, it was similarly easy to procure a coupon. Only the one there was red. As far as I can tell, the only differences between the two coupons were the colour and the name of the line. Both were for 50% discounts for March, so I’m not quite sure why they bothered.
Just to be sure I wasn’t breaking any laws or anything, I read the fine print:
AMT Dorion/Rigaud coupon front and back
Well, that’s interesting. There really isn’t much fine print, other than a prohibition against using photocopies. Most of one side is instructions on how to get the rebate, and the other side is a simple form.
I filled it out while I was waiting in line. Even though it was only the 24th of the month, and 2:30 p.m., the line was pretty long:
Lineup at AMT service counter at Central Station
When I got to buy my pass, I noticed two anti-fraud measures being used, though neither stopped me from saving on my pass. The first is that the serial number of the pass is written onto the coupon. This would be useful if any verification was made to the name on the coupon, but it isn’t. I could have put Patrick Lagacé’s name on there and they wouldn’t have known the difference. The second is that the pass given out has a star-shaped hole punched out of it, to denote the fact that it was sold with the rebate. This prevents someone from using the pass to try to get the second half of the rebate after the fact. (The procedure is obviously different for those using Opus.)
Though I could have checked the TRAM 1 box and gotten a pass for only $39.75, I decided I wouldn’t go that far. Instead, I opted for the TRAM 3 pass, which would not only allow me to take the train to the West Island, but use the Laval and Longueuil transit networks as well. It was only $15 more expensive than the TRAM 1, and still $14 cheaper than what I would have paid for an STM pass.
So next month I’ll do some travelling to Laval and Longueuil and see what’s going on over there.
Either way, mission accomplished. Any ideas what I should do with that extra $14?
The last day of coupon distribution is Thursday. The schedule is as follows:
- 5:45-10am at all stations on the Deux Montagnes and Dorion/Rigaud lines
- 10:30am to 3pm at Central Station
- 12:15pm to 3:15pm at Lucien L’Allier
- 5:45pm to 9:15pm at Lucien L’Allier
- 7:30pm to 12:30am at Central Station
Discounted passes are on sale only at Lucien L’Allier, Central Station and Vendôme. You can also buy passes or charge up Opus cards at the full fare and then bring your pass or receipt with the coupon to these stations after the fact to get a refund.
UPDATE (Feb. 26): The AMT is extending hours of its service centres to handle rebate requests, including being open Saturdays and Sundays. This won’t add chances to get coupons, but will make it a bit easier to get refunds once you have them.
UPDATE (Feb. 27): The Gazette’s Andy Riga reports that the AMT has given away more tickets than the two train lines have regular users. He theorizes this could be because of three reasons:
- People mistakenly taking two coupons, to give one to a friend or family member who already has one
- People who don’t normally buy passes are taking advantage of the huge discount
- Some people have read this post: “Some non-AMT users may also be using the coupons to get cut-rate access to buses and the métro. For example, a coupon bearer can buy a March TRAM pass – good on trains, buses and the métro – for $39.75 in Zone 1. That’s less than the $68.50 charged for a Société de transport de Montréal bus-and-métro pass.”
Good for you! I decided on a TRAM 1 myself
Wrong tu es, Fagstein. Putting my name would have arisen (?) suspicions : I am a ranking member of La Clique du Plateau. The AMT people would have raised un sourcil de voir que PL needed un remboursement pour aller in the 450. Oh yes.
“So next month I’ll do some travelling to Laval and Longueuil and see what’s going on over there.”
Quick answer: nothing.
If you do come up to Laval though, watch out for the trap doors, moats and poison spike traps.
We don’t like outsiders.
I normally get a $109 TRAM 3 as I regularly travel to both Laval and Longueuil. For March, I splurged and got a TRAM 5 (Regular Rate $138, with reduction $69). I’ll be riding suburban transit systems (nothing new to me) for $0.50 more than a CAM! Still $40 cheaper than my regular pass! UNBELIEVABLE!
I don’t see why you can’t get three coupons and use them for March, April and May. Or am I stupid?
The coupons are specific to the month. This one says specifically it can only be used as a rebate on the March pass.
$14 would buy you and a colleague drinks. Or you could take the high road and donate it to charity. Does the AMT have a favourite charity?
The pass actually ends up costing even less, thanks to the federal government.. You can claim the full price of the pass on your taxes next year, and get even more back that way. Fagstein, do the math for us will ya? :)
Claiming the full price of the pass would be tax fraud. My goal is not to break any laws.
Wow. I use the Tram 3 (even though I don’t use AMT). I’ve already charged up the ol’ OPUS. Otherwise I might have considered this, as it would have saved me about $50!
If you still have the receipt you can go get a coupon and get that money back.
Tram 2 will get you to Pointe-Claire or Roxboro-Pierrefonds. No need to go any further since you can get busses to take you the rest of the Way (211 to St-Anne) which you can get at the Pointe-Claire Train Station.
I can’t believed it worked! I guess I’ll have to make time to go to Central Station tomorrow.
How much time did you lose traveling to get that coupon and waiting in line for the discounted pass? Only to save 14$ ?
Makes a pretty interesting post, though! :-)
It was a bit out of my way to get the coupon. Waiting in line took about 20 minutes. And I could have saved $30 if I went for the TRAM 1.
Mission accomplie too, except that I was surprised that they offered me to put it on my “opus” card. No particular precaution was taken, but I was ready to give out a fake address near the station I asked a pass for.
So the TRAM 1 gets full STM system access? I better get down to Lucien L’Allier right now!
thanks for the brilliant idea. was in and out of vendome for the coupon and the pass this morning in 20 minutes. $40, what a deal!
Got mine as well. I was a little worried because the clerk was scrutinizing my receipts for the longest time before giving me my refund. I’ve never even been to Deux-Montagnes before….
Too nervous to try to deal with OPUS. My husband got 2 coupons in the morning and I bought two TRAM 1 passes this afternoon.
Now we just have to find forgiving metro turnstiles :D
All remaining swipe-card turnstiles will accept TRAMs without problem. Unfortunately, there aren’t many of them left. The idea is to phase out the swipe cards by June.
Too bad I’m away most of March. So it wasn’t worthwhile to get this coupon, and I’m not here when they distribute April’s coupoun. Anybody wants to get the April coupon for me on March 18 (and probably more days), end buy a TRAM 1?
I’ll pay you back of course :-)
borked *at* gmail *dot* com
TRAM 1 and all TRAM passes give full STM access (excluding the Laval metro where TRAM 3 is the minimum requirement)
Thanks, it worked like a charm! I felt guilty so I got the Tram 3 too. I doubt I’ll go offshore though.
Can you give a fake name to get the discount on do they check your ID when you go for the reimbursement?
There’s no checking of ID, though I imagine putting a name like “Santa Claus” might raise some eyebrows. They do put the serial number of the pass on the coupon, which theoretically could be used to track its owner by their movements through turnstiles.
It worked! You saved me money! Steve, you’re my hero.
Damn straight I’m your hero.
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