My Alerts 
Another step forward in the STM bus network redesign
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) unveiled a new service plan for some 30 bus routes today. The plan was presented to representatives of the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) and elected officials from the boroughs of LaSalle, Lachine, Sud-Ouest and Verdun, which are served by the new bus routes. The changes will come into effect on August 26.
Highlights from the redesign of a vast sector
- Two new local routes—the 38 De l’Église and the 114 Angrignon—will be introduced to improve neighbourhood accessibility.
- Twenty bus lines will have new routes, times or frequencies, including three—the 107 Verdun, 112 Airlie and 496 Express Victoria—that will now be high-frequency during rush hour to give local customers better access to high-frequency buses.
- Seven routes have been retired and will be covered by other buses to streamline the network.
Communicating the changes to the community
A locally targeted communications campaign launches in the five boroughs today, combining digital and social media with print ads in the bus and métro networks. The aim is to inform customers about the changes and encourage them to use the new trip simulator tool available at www.stm.info/en/busredesign2024 to explore their new routes.
There will also be open house events in June where customers can learn more and ask questions. For more information: https://formulaire.stm.info/en/busnetwork2024.
Statements
“Our main goal with this part of the bus network redesign is to upgrade public transit service in southwestern Montréal,” says Éric Alan Caldwell, chair of the STM Board of Directors. “We want to improve the customer experience and make our bus network more appealing and accessible to as many people as possible. Without increasing the budget, we’ve overhauled bus service in two sectors spanning five boroughs—areas of our bus network that haven’t been updated in some thirty years. We’re adding three new high-frequency lines, for a total of five in the area, which will mean significant time savings for our customers. This portion of the redesign is a vivid illustration of the bus network’s importance on the Island of Montréal.”
“The redesign in this large area of southern Montréal will be a big change, and we’re here to support our customers through it,” says Marie-Claude Léonard, CEO of the STM. “In addition to saving time on major routes and maintaining local service, the new bus routes will improve access to industrial areas, reinforce connections with the métro network, and give customers more ways to get to high-traffic locations and points of interest. Our accessible, easy-to-use new trip planner will also help customers get used to the new routes and figure out which buses they need to take in their daily travels.”
Statements from elected officials
“My council colleagues and I have been eagerly awaiting the STM bus network redesign in our borough. The STM is clearly working to better serve residents, with an enhanced customer experience, faster travel times, and more efficient connections. One notable improvement is the extension of bus 101 Saint-Patrick, which now provides direct access to Lionel-Groulx and Angrignon métro stations from LaSalle Borough Hall—no transfers needed. Another win is that buses 112 Airlie and 107 Verdun will now be high frequency during rush hour. We hope these improvements will make the bus network more appealing and better serve the needs of the people of LaSalle.” — Nancy Blanchet, mayor of LaSalle.
“This redesign was long-awaited and much needed. The new routes and bus times are much better suited to the borough’s needs and account for our new, denser residential areas. We are very pleased with how the borough and the STM worked together. It’s going to do a lot of good!” — Maja Vodanovic, mayor of Lachine.
“The STM bus network redesign will be great for Sud-Ouest: the westward extension of the 101 Saint-Patrick will mean better access to businesses in the Cabot area, we’ll finally have a route serving Georges-Vanier station and running north-south toward Ville-Marie, the 35 Griffintown and 36 Monk will run more often, the 71 Pointe-Saint-Charles will provide access to Verdun Hospital—something the community has been wanting for a long time—and the new reserved lanes on Notre-Dame West, Des Trinitaires, Saint-Patrick, Saint-Jacques, Wellington and Robert-Bourassa will help ensure fast, predictable, ontime service. The STM network is now even more foundational to the success of our first Local Transportation Plan. I commend the STM for their collaborative approach to the mobility challenges in Sud-Ouest and for working to offer appealing, efficient bus service that meets the needs of our communities and helps our neighbourhoods thrive.” — Benoit Dorais, mayor of Sud-Ouest and vicechair of the City of Montréal Executive Committee.
“We welcome these improvements to the bus network in this part of Verdun. They are fully in line with our vision of efficient transportation and sustainable mobility. The improved 107 Verdun will now run more often to Verdun métro station and downtown during morning and evening rush hours, while also providing service to LaSalle. Splitting the 37 Jolicoeur into two separate routes will simplify travel, which responds directly to the needs of our community. There are also major improvements to bus 112 Airlie during rush hour. Overall, the changes will help connect us to neighbouring boroughs and improve our quality of life.” — Marie-Andrée Mauger, mayor of Verdun.
About the bus network redesign
In 2018, the STM began collaboratively redesigning its surface network to be more efficient and appealing, while better accounting for mobility needs and urban development in Montréal. Using five guiding principles, the STM sought input from representatives, experts, the general public, and communities across the city on how it could improve the customer experience by changing the design and architecture of its surface network. Changes are being introduced gradually in conjunction with new major public transit projects, with sector consultations held at various stages. Learn more about the bus network redesign.
Consult the media presentation (French only).
Video: Refonte du réseau bus - Simulateur de trajets (French only)
From left to right: Benoit Auger, Borough Councillor and Deputy Mayor of LaSalle Borough, Marie-Andrée Mauger, Mayor of Verdun, Benoit Dorais, Mayor of Sud-Ouest Borough and Vice-Chair of Montreal Executive Committee, Marie-Claude Léonard, CEO of the STM, Éric Alan Caldwell, Chair of the STM Board of Directors, Maja Vodanovic, Mayor of Lachine and Philippe Dubé, Senior Director - Partner Relations at the ARTM.
Photo credit: Louis-Étienne Doré