What you need to know ahead of Monday's transit strike in Montreal

Montreal Gazette

4 days ago

By
Montrealers will be hoping for sunny weather over the nine-day period of June 9-17.
Cycling and walking will be the best ways to get around the city while the STM's transit workers engage in a limited strike that will force bus and métro service to be heavily reduced.
Buses and métro cars will probably be overcrowded, and it is expected more cars will be used, meaning there will be more congestion on the roads than normal during the nine-day period.
The STM is advising people who need public transit to get around to double the time they normally allot to travel to their destinations. Those who can work from home are encouraged to do so.
Here is what you need to know:
Pay attention to departure times
Because the métro has four different lines, their departure times vary widely.
For example, while the métro technically runs until 5:48 p.m. in the afternoon rush period, the last train departing Angrignon station during that period is at 5:02, so if you arrive at that station afterward, you're out of luck. The next departure from that station is at 11 p.m.
Here is the schedule for next nine days:
June 9-11
Bus service 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.
Métro service 6:30 a.m. to 9:38 a.m., 2:45 p.m. to 5:48 p.m., 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
No service outside these times.
June 12
Bus service 6:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.
Métro service 6:30 a.m. to 10:38 a.m., 2:45 p.m. to 6:48 p.m., 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Service at up to 50 per cent outside these times.
June 13-15
Normal bus and métro service
June 16-17
Bus service 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.
Métro service 6:30 a.m. to 9:38 a.m., 2:45 p.m. to 5:48 p.m., 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Service at up to 50 per cent outside these times.
Detailed lists of the first and last métro departures are available at stm.info.
No refunds for monthly pass
The region's transit authority, the ARTM, has said it will not give refunds or discounts for those who have purchased passes for the month of June.
The ARTM has helped make it easier for commuters in past transit interruptions, for example, when commuter train service was interrupted by construction of the REM. However, in this instance the ARTM will not put in place a plan to boost transit from other modes, like Exo trains or regional buses, as a way to mitigate the effects of the strike.
Reached this week, ARTM spokesperson Maxime Riopel declined to comment about the strike.
Bixi to add more drop-off locations
The city's bike-sharing program will more than double the number of depot sites that are available to Bixi users over the course of the strike to 24 from 10. Depot sites are large collection points that allow Bixi users to drop off their bikes without having to find an available dock. Bixi is expecting more people to be using their service over the course of the strike, so it is ensuring its staff is ready to replenish empty docks as needed.
For its part, the city's major car-sharing service, Communauto, is urging its users to share rides if possible. It can't add capacity to its fleet of 4,500 vehicles.
Adapted transit service unaffected
The STM wishes to reassure those who rely on adapted transit to get around the city that the service will not be affected by the strike.
That being said, transit lobby group Trajectoire Québec said this strike will be felt hardest by the elderly, those with reduced mobility and those who can't afford other means of transportation.
'We're worried about people who can't get around on bikes and who can't afford to pay for taxis,' group co-director general Philippe Jacques said in an interview Friday.
Jacques said he's anticipating chaos, especially if it rains.
'We saw in Quebec City's (transit strike last year), there were a lot of impacts,' he said. 'Fewer people were able to get to food banks, and a lot of doctors' appointments were cancelled.'
He found it curious that the Tribunal administratif du travail ruled service during the Grand Prix weekend was deemed to be essential, while the day-to-day routine outside of that event wasn't.
'Montrealers who have to go to work, or who have to get to appointments, they're told: 'figure it out.' But to go watch cars going around in a circle, burning gas and polluting, for that, yes, we have a complete service,' Jacques said.
He lamented a general lack of investment by the province into transit services, which has led to some of the cost-cutting measures that the STM is asking of its maintenance workers.
This transit strike could be one of several disruptions to STM services this year, as the STM is currently negotiating with four unions at the same time. Two of those unions, representing drivers and administrative workers, have also given their leaders a strike mandate. So far, those unions have not given the STM notice that they will walk off the job, and negotiations continue with management.