My voice my STM

You can take part in our surveys in two ways: by email or by text message.

For the past two years, we’ve given panelists the option of receiving our surveys via text message. 700 active panelists chose this option in 2023.

Here’s how to subscribe to text message invites:

If you’re already a panelist, email your request to info@mavoixmastm.info.

If you’d like to become a panelist, sign up here and choose to receive our invitations by text message.

In the summer of 2023, we surveyed customers to find out how important bus schedules were to them. But we wanted to get an even better understanding of this aspect of their travel experience. So in January and February 2024, we took to the streets, talking to over 700 customers to learn more about their perceptions of waiting times at various bus stops throughout the city.

From the data we collected, we learned exactly when a customer goes from being satisfied to dissatisfied with bus arrival times. Since those who use real-time updates believe they are seeing more accurate information, they tend to become dissatisfied more quickly when delays happen. This shows that the reliability of real-time updates plays a critical role in customer satisfaction.

Our teams have already taken action in response. When customers view our schedules, they now have access to a new map feature that shows detours and the new locations of bus stops on those detours. This can help customers gauge the impact of a given detour on their trip.

We’re also looking at ways to improve the accuracy of real-time tracking. And of course, our teams are still working hard to provide on-time service despite roadwork and traffic conditions beyond our control.

After working with Transit from February to June 2023 on a proof of concept to display detour information, the STM decided to develop a permanent in-house detour display feature that would be more reliable and accurate. The feature was launched in April 2024.

To find out how its bus customers felt about the new feature, the STM surveyed more than 1,000 bus customers between October and November 2024. The responses confirmed that customers really appreciate the functionality and intend to continue using it. Our teams are working hard to make sure detour information is always as accurate and up-to-date as possible.

An example of detour display. In red: the detoured route. In dotted line: the alternative route.

In mid-September, the STM launched a campaign to promote good behaviour on the bus and métro networks, with an emphasis on how everyone would benefit. The initiative aimed to inspire all STM customers to adopt respectful habits that make public transit more comfortable and improve métro reliability by reducing passenger-related service disruptions. The campaign encouraged customers to adopt responsible behaviour by highlighting how it positively impacts the entire public transit community.

The key message of the campaign was: “Good habits are contagious,” which recognized positive customer actions when using the network.

Five behaviours were targeted during the first phase of the campaign:

• Wearing headphones when using a cell phone to respect others and their right to a calm environment.
• Letting the métro doors close to avoid service interruptions.
• Keeping personal belongings away from the métro tracks to prevent service interruptions.
• Taking off backpacks to free up space.
• Being kind to others on the bus and in the métro.

To measure the effectiveness of the Good Habits campaign, the STM surveyed its panelists and received feedback from more than 900 bus and métro customers. Overall, the campaign had a positive impact on many levels. The majority of respondents felt that the message was successful in raising awareness about good behaviour on the network, and that the positive tone of the campaign encouraged customers to adopt good habits. Respondents also agreed that the campaign showed that the STM cares about its customers.

Encouraging customers to adopt new behaviours can take time. By combining ongoing communication with other initiatives, we’ll work to directly target and raise awareness among customers who are more likely to engage in behaviours that negatively impact their fellow passengers.

Stay tuned! In 2025, we’ll share even more good habits to adopt.

Every day, members of the My voice my STM community share their feelings about safety on the bus and métro networks. Whether it’s service disruptions, overcrowding or any other situation, we want to know what affects your sense of safety. We go over your feedback each month to better target our ongoing efforts to improve your sense of safety on our networks. Thank you for always helping us identify what makes you feel unsafe—and what makes you feel comfortable—during your trips.

Statistically, incidents in the métro cause significant service interruptions. Many of these could have been less disruptive or even avoided if customers had used the available assistance tools to report them. With this in mind, the STM surveyed 750 métro customers in May 2024. The goal was to hear from customers and assess their familiarity with our various assistance tools, then use that information to help shape internal initiatives, particularly future awareness campaigns.

The findings revealed that while customers are generally familiar with our assistance tools, they still don’t use them frequently. Most customers feel more comfortable reporting situations to an employee or using their cell phone.

In response, a mini-awareness campaign about our emergency assistance tools was rolled out on the STM’s social media (Instagram, Facebook and X) and gradually extended to the métro network over the summer.

The survey responses also helped our teams reassess our communication strategies to better inform customers about the available assistance tools. This feedback inspired us to develop a more direct, discreet communication solution, resulting in the launch of a text hotline in November 2024. Early feedback indicates that customers really appreciate this system. However, we’ll be surveying you again in 2025 to better understand the impact of this tool on your day-to-day life. We look forward to hearing from you!

The needs and expectations of métro customers are evolving in a number of ways, from their service delivery expectations to the kinds of shops and services they would like to see in the métro. Transgesco, a commercial subsidiary of the STM, wanted to better understand customer behaviour and expectations regarding both current and desired commercial offerings, with the goal of providing an optimal customer experience. More than 2,000 of you answered the survey, which provided us with valuable insight into your needs and expectations and revealed how commercial offerings play a key role in enhancing your travel experience—whether by increasing your sense of safety or making the métro more appealing.

Stay tuned for more exciting projects coming to the network in 2025.

In fall 2024, the STM took to the streets to meet its customers and invite some of them to participate in a pilot project on the 94 D’Iberville line. Every week in October and November, there were initiatives to enhance the sense of safety for both riders and drivers, promote good behaviour, and remind customers of the importance of validating their fares. Customers were asked to provide feedback on the initiatives during their trips.

In total, 310 trips were evaluated during this test period, with 80 customers participating in the project.

Based on the data we collected, we now know that the presence of safety ambassadors, operations supervisors, and special constables at bus stops helps make customers feel safe, and that the information provided by operations supervisors (such as schedule delays and the next bus departures) plays an important role and helps reassure customers while they wait for the bus.

We’ll continue analyzing the data in 2025, so you may see some of these initiatives implemented on other bus routes. Stay tuned!

We monitor the cleanliness of buses, métros and paratransit on an ongoing basis. Every day, we ask My voice my STM panelists to share their opinions on the cleanliness of our facilities and vehicles. This feedback allows us to better target problem areas and quickly implement solutions to make the environment more pleasant. We look forward to keeping up this work.

Facing a decline in customer satisfaction regarding métro cleanliness, the STM wanted to better understand the situation and deploy additional or targeted cleaning measures in stations where cleanliness is a serious issue.

More than 4,250 customers participated in surveys in August 2024, evaluating the cleanliness of the stations they visit most often, sharing their perceptions, and reporting any issues they encountered. The study assessed all 68 métro stations.

Our teams are working to develop specific action plans for each station.

In an effort to improve the customer experience at the turnstile area, the STM wanted to gain a better understanding of the frustrations customers face at the start and end of their trips, both during regular service and service disruptions.

To gather this data, a web survey was sent to métro customers through the MVMSTM panel, and 850 respondents completed it.

The good news is that the vast majority of customers don’t experience problems at the turnstiles during service disruptions. However, the survey results helped us identify the top frustrations and rank them based on frequency. Four main priorities were outlined: people not paying, the environment, wait times, and quality of service.

Customer feedback on these issues was instrumental in shaping recommendations and identifying areas for improvement. These insights will guide our teams as they create a plan and define actions to be implemented by 2025 to enhance the turnstile experience for everyone.

You may have noticed that in recent months, STM employees have started wearing yellow vests to make themselves more visible in the métro, sending out a clear message that our staff are here to help.

The vests make it easier for customers to identify employees who can assist them and answer their questions.

The yellow vests are only temporary. In July, nearly 700 MVMSTM panelists responded to a survey to rate various messages and designs for future vests. In their answers, they confirmed that it’s important to improve employee visibility and that the vests meet the need of reassuring customers. Thanks to the feedback and suggestions received, the STM is on track to roll out the new vests in 2025.