STM to ramp up service on Orange, Green line to ease rush-hour crunch
Chair Philippe Schnobb says $1.5B budget prioritizes 'improved customer experience,'
Montreal's public transit agency is promising to boost the number of Metros running during the morning rush hour on the jam-packed Green and Orange lines.
STM Chair Philippe Schnobb said there will also be trains every five minutes on the Green and Orange lines during off-peak hours on weekdays.
The commitment was announced as part of the STM's $1.5-billion annual budget unveiled Thursday alongside Mayor Valérie Plante.
Overall, there will be a 2.2 per cent increase in Metro service and a 1.6 per cent increase in bus service, Schnobb said.
He said additional buses and new Azur trains will lead to an "improved customer experience."
Other commitments include:
- 125 new air-conditioned hybrid buses to replace aging buses in the STM's fleet.
- elevators at the Jean-Drapeau and Jean-Talon stations for people with reduced mobility
- 264 new bus shelters across the network, bringing the total to 1,595.
The STM also released its 10-year, $15.6-billion capital expenditures program, in which the agency updated its long-term priorities.
Those include:
- The extension of the Blue line.
- 17 new Azur trains for the Metro's Green line.
- 300 new buses by 2020.
- Elevators in 41 stations by 2025.