STM announces new bus routes to improve public transit services

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) announced new routes for nearly 30 bus lines on Tuesday.

The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) and elected officials from the boroughs of LaSalle, Lachine, Sud-Ouest, and Verdun held a joint press conference about the upcoming changes.

The new implementations will start Aug. 26.

“Our main goal with this part of the bus network redesign is to upgrade public transit service in southwestern Montreal,” said chair of the STM Board of Directors Éric Alan Caldwell. “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.”

According to a press release, two new routs will include bus 38 De l’Église and bus 114 Angrignon.

In addition, 20 buses will have new routes, times and frequencies including bus 107 Verdun, 112 Airlie and 496 Express Victoria.

Officials say that those buses will pass frequently during rush hour – giving public transit users better access to high-frequency buses.

“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,” said Caldwell.

Marie-Claude Léonard is the CEO for the STM.

She said that their main goal is to upgrade public transit service in Montreal.

“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 metro network, and give customers more ways to get to high-traffic locations and points of interest,” explained Léonard.

Seven routes have been discontinued and will be covered by other buses to streamline the network.

“This redesign was long-awaited and much needed,” said Lachine Mayor Maja Vodanovic. “The new routes and bus times are much better suited to the borough’s needs and account for our new, denser residential areas.”

The STM has also created a trip simulator tool, where customers can check how their routes will be affected starting Aug. 26.

Open house events will take place in June where customers can learn and ask questions about the upcoming changes.

“My council colleagues and I have been eagerly awaiting the STM bus network redesign in our borough,” said Lasalle Mayor Nancy Blanchet. “One notable improvement is the extension of bus 101 Saint-Patrick, which now provides direct access to Lionel-Groulx and Angrignon metro stations from LaSalle Borough Hall—no transfers needed.”

Verdun Mayor Marie-Andrée Mauger said the overall changes will help connect others to neighbouring boroughs and improve quality of life.

“The improved 107 Verdun will now run more often to Verdun metro station and downtown during morning and evening rush hours, while also providing service to LaSalle,” explained Mauger. “Splitting the 37 Jolicoeur into two separate routes will simplify travel, which responds directly to the needs of our community.”

Sud-Ouest Mayor Benoit Dorais adds that the new bus services will finally meet community needs.

“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, on time service,” he concluded.