Société de transport de Montréal

[brzyski]

STM will purchase 40 electric buses of 3 types: slow-charging, fast-charging and 30ft midibuses, also 2 electric paratransit vehicles.

The 4 fast-charging buses will entirely electrify 36 Monk and the 4 midibuses will be put on 212 Sainte-Anne de Bellevue.

http://www.stm.info/en/press/press-releases/2017/electrification--stm-picks-up-the-pace-and-looks-to-buy-40-electric-buses

(didn't quite understand French yet...)

[OC Transpo/STO Fan]

Sorry if this is the wrong thread, but did the STM start repainting old LFSes yet, not including old gen '09s?

[Guest]

Just now, OCTranspo/STO Fan said:

Sorry if this is the wrong thread, but did the STM start repainting old LFSes yet, not including old gen '09s?

28-701 & 28-704 have the new livery is all I know.

[OC Transpo/STO Fan]

3 minutes ago, ONQCBusFan said:

28-701 & 28-704 have the new livery is all I know.

OK. Their old livery is outdated, being used back in the '90s! I much prefer the new livery. Maybe the old livery would look fine on Classics, but absolutely not LFSes. 

[MTL66]

4 hours ago, OCTranspo/STO Fan said:

OK. Their old livery is outdated, being used back in the '90s! I much prefer the new livery. Maybe the old livery would look fine on Classics, but absolutely not LFSes. 

There are no plans to do so. The only buses to get the new livery were the hybrids mentioned above, both of which as result of an accident.

[Gerbil]

On 10/13/2017 at 3:47 AM, MTL66 said:

In that case it was probably assigned to an assignment when the STM realized that the run could not be completed, therefore the run was cut from the regular assignment and given as a half or full run in Overtime or built into a Batisse.

A Batisse is an assignment that is given to reserve drivers. If the HASTUS system is able to build an assignment that is operable per the STM parameters it will build an assignment by breaking up other assignments that are up for reserve duty. Most of the time, the batisses are built by combining a bunch of Extra assignments. Most Batisse assignatments are built in a 3 way split shift. An example would be in the morning, the driver is given the Renfort 754-101 which is 6:00am to 10:00am, the driver brings the bus back to garage, take another bus out at 12:00 to do a 49E-90 and brings it back to garage at 13:20 and for the third portion the driver is assigned to DISPO duty at the Garage from  14:35 to 18:00.

DISPO dusty is essentially a driver room spare, meaning he/she will go out on any assignment if the drivers calls in sick at the last minute or if an SPS is needed instead of giving the piece in emergency overtime. A Dispo driver can be assigned anything on the network, providing the garage is allowed to provide spares for that route (Each garage is assigned a list of routes it can provide spares on).

*Note all run numbers above are fictional, just used random runs as an example*

Thank you for the information. Another thing I'm kind of curious about is the garage transfers (I migrated here since this isn't related to sightings). When buses are transferred between garages, is this done by drivers on overtime or other garage staff members? 

--

The STM beta website now shows real time arrivals. This might finally put an end to my long waits for the 90 during PM rush hour.

http://beta.stm.info/en

[novalfs26001]

1 hour ago, Gerbil said:

Thank you for the information. Another thing I'm kind of curious about is the garage transfers (I migrated here since this isn't related to sightings). When buses are transferred between garages, is this done by drivers on overtime or other garage staff members? 

--

The STM beta website now shows real time arrivals. This might finally put an end to my long waits for the 90 during PM rush hour.

http://beta.stm.info/en

There is a division for drivers called "gareurs". They are 8 drivers and all they do is transfer buses between divisions. There is a day shift (approx 8:00-16:00) and a night shift (approx 21:00-5:00).  Needless to say, these are very senior drivers!

When a change-off is made or a bus breaks down, very often a replacement bus is sent from another division (normally the closest). Example: if a St-Denis bus on the 18 needs to be changed at Honore-Beaugrand, they will most probably send a bus from Anjou. Once repaired at Anjou, that bus will need to be transferred back to SD, and Anjou will need their bus back. The gareur group will transfer the buses back to their respective divisions. 

Buses are also transferred between divisions to even out the mileage since some divisions tend to rack up mileage quickly (Saint-Laurent) and others not so quickly (Saint-Denis). Also buses are sometimes transferred to help alleviate a shortage in a specific division if another has spares. 

[anyfong]

On 10/16/2017 at 10:08 PM, Gerbil said:

Thank you for the information. Another thing I'm kind of curious about is the garage transfers (I migrated here since this isn't related to sightings). When buses are transferred between garages, is this done by drivers on overtime or other garage staff members? 

--

The STM beta website now shows real time arrivals. This might finally put an end to my long waits for the 90 during PM rush hour.

http://beta.stm.info/en

Since there's no real-time tracker for the STM (something like SammDOT or Transsee), the biggest mistake of this website is not displaying the fleet numbers of the buses in real-time. This is especially important for routes like the 36 where (a) it is never on time and ( the electric buses almost never show up.

[Gerbil]

11 hours ago, anyfong said:

Since there's no real-time tracker for the STM (something like SammDOT or Transsee), the biggest mistake of this website is not displaying the fleet numbers of the buses in real-time. This is especially important for routes like the 36 where (a) it is never on time and ( the electric buses almost never show up.

It says on the FAQ of the beta website that the GTFS real time data will be made available when they finish developing the site, so someone could probably make a tracker that gives the fleet numbers at that point. It also says that they will be adding the locations of the buses on a map in a future update, so maybe the fleet number will appear then. I wouldn't say it's an essential part of the website, but I'm sure all of us here would appreciate it.

[Gerbil]

It seems as though the real-time GPS info on the STM website doesn't take deadheading into account. Two consecutive no-shows on the 90 this afternoon appeared as on time until their scheduled departure time, then the site said they were coming in >1 minute until eventually they were cancelled. Both were deadheading to Atwater from Lachine. I guess it'll help if we can see where the bus is on a map.

[tomsbuspage]

Radio-Canada recently posted this video online of the CTCUM's first female bus driver, along with a link to an article about her retirement from a few years ago.  Nice vintage footage of 1968 Fishbowl 41-326!

An honourable retirement for STM’s first woman bus driver

 

[Gerbil]

The STM is testing new seat models on a bus: 

I'd certainly welcome a change in seat design. The current ones aren't particularly comfortable.

Does anyone know which bus this is and if it's going to be used in service like this?

[Gerbil]

As of this week, the STM has added 175 departures on the following routes: 37, 51, 58, 71, 103, 105, 107, 112, 113, 168, 406, 411, 491, 495, 496, as well as an additional train on the Green line.

http://stm.info/en/easy

It's a little odd for the infrequent routes (37, 71), since the schedule isn't slated to change until January and the times of these extra departures haven't been published. 

I'm disappointed they haven't done anything about the missing 90 departures around 17:00... I certainly sent enough complaints, and I imagine other people must do so as well.

[MTL66]

3 hours ago, Gerbil said:

As of this week, the STM has added 175 departures on the following routes: 37, 51, 58, 71, 103, 105, 107, 112, 113, 168, 406, 411, 491, 495, 496, as well as an additional train on the Green line.

http://stm.info/en/easy

It's a little odd for the infrequent routes (37, 71), since the schedule isn't slated to change until January and the times of these extra departures haven't been published. 

I'm disappointed they haven't done anything about the missing 90 departures around 17:00... I certainly sent enough complaints, and I imagine other people must do so as well.

Still trying to figure out where they are finding the buses for these extra departures?? They don't have enough buses to cover current service levels and they somehow find a way to add service to routes. Meanwhile, they are retiring buses and storing them in Bellechasse and at other garages until 2018 when they can legally be retired. I found out the 21s are still under government funding from the rebuild program back in 2009-2010.

The STM got in trouble a couple of years ago because they prematurly sent buses still under funding to scrapyards. They had to buy back the buses from the scrap dealers and rebuild them and put them back in service. One of those buses was 15-140.

[SMS]

23 hours ago, Gerbil said:

It's a little odd for the infrequent routes (37, 71), since the schedule isn't slated to change until January and the times of these extra departures haven't been published. 

There are two fall board periods, one around Labour Day and one around the end of October or the beginning of November, which permits schedules to be adjusted or modified. This is Something that both RTL and STM collective agreements have in common. As for why the departures have not been published, I will not speak on behalf of the STM, I only know how it works at my company. There are five board periods per year, the longest board period being the one starting in January and ending in either late March or early April.

[MTL66]

On 11/10/2017 at 9:50 PM, SMS said:

There are two fall board periods, one around Labour Day and one around the end of October or the beginning of November, which permits schedules to be adjusted or modified. This is Something that both RTL and STM collective agreements have in common. As for why the departures have not been published, I will not speak on behalf of the STM, I only know how it works at my company. There are five board periods per year, the longest board period being the one starting in January and ending in either late March or early April.

But at the STM the drivers choose those 2 board periods at the same time in July/August, so the timetables are already published. The only thig they can do is add Renfort departures at any time

[tomsbuspage]

33-839 was involved in a crash on Côte-des-Neiges during today's snowstorm:

 

[Doppelkupplung]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/riders-alarmed-to-learn-montreal-buses-use-homemade-snow-tires-1.3721333

Interesting. People must think money grows on trees. 

[Bus_Medic]

This is a long standing practice in the trucking industry. It’s called tire siping.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siping_(rubber)

[Doppelkupplung]

7 minutes ago, Bus_Medic said:

This is a long standing practice in the trucking industry. It’s called tire siping.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siping_(rubber)

I'm aware of that. I'm just shocked that people actually expect a fleet of over 1500 buses to have all round winter tires, regardless of them being transit enthusiasts or not. Its just not logical. 

[Frozen Yogurt]

[...]

[Chinese Daniel]

On 2017/12/14 at 9:35 AM, MiWay0310 said:

I'm aware of that. I'm just shocked that people actually expect a fleet of over 1500 buses to have all round winter tires, regardless of them being transit enthusiasts or not. Its just not logical. 

The bus was too heavy for Winter tires, But STM can be tri like translink like  Snow socks or like MTA put the snow chain.

[Gerbil]

1 hour ago, Frozen Yogurt said:

Just a question: is the garage change posted on the  last page confirmed? From the looks of it Stinson seems to lose some routes to St-Laurent: is Stinson going to transfer more buses to other divisions? And I can't remember but is it mentioned which division will get the 2018 hybrids?

Also, will all 21s be retired, like, in two days?

It seems like the garage changes will be implemented. I've looked through the upcoming board period's GTFS data, and SL seems to have regained most of its old routes. It was mentioned somewhere at a later date that Stinson is retaining the 16 though. Stinson will also have to receive the 747 buses (29-149-29-156, 30-001-30-020, 31-001-31-008, and 31-211-31-220). With those and the hybrids, I wonder if Stinson might become the first front ramp only garage... Although now that I think about it considering the sighting I mentioned below, it is feasible that St. Laurent could have some 37-XXX transferred if the drivers/maintenance staff are trained on them.

I remember that @MTL66 posted a sighting of a hybrid at St. Laurent, so they might be getting the 38-XXX. It would make sense since they're getting a lot of new routes and they already have a large portion of the 22-XXX. Speaking of which, is there any word if the 22-XXX will be retired in 2018? From what I remember, there are only 100 2018 hybrids on order, so not enough to replace them.

I have no idea as to the validity of the rumor about the 21-XXX's retirement, but to me it would make more sense if they keep the same policy they're using now: retiring them if costly repairs are required. I don't see a point in arbitrarily retiring them because of the date if some are still in working order. At the rate they're going though, they probably won't last much longer.

[anyfong]

13 hours ago, Gerbil said:

It seems like the garage changes will be implemented. I've looked through the upcoming board period's GTFS data, and SL seems to have regained most of its old routes. It was mentioned somewhere at a later date that Stinson is retaining the 16 though. Stinson will also have to receive the 747 buses (29-149-29-156, 30-001-30-020, 31-001-31-008, and 31-211-31-220). With those and the hybrids, I wonder if Stinson might become the first front ramp only garage... Although now that I think about it considering the sighting I mentioned below, it is feasible that St. Laurent could have some 37-XXX transferred if the drivers/maintenance staff are trained on them.

I remember that @MTL66 posted a sighting of a hybrid at St. Laurent, so they might be getting the 38-XXX. It would make sense since they're getting a lot of new routes and they already have a large portion of the 22-XXX. Speaking of which, is there any word if the 22-XXX will be retired in 2018? From what I remember, there are only 100 2018 hybrids on order, so not enough to replace them.

I have no idea as to the validity of the rumor about the 21-XXX's retirement, but to me it would make more sense if they keep the same policy they're using now: retiring them if costly repairs are required. I don't see a point in arbitrarily retiring them because of the date if some are still in working order. At the rate they're going though, they probably won't last much longer.

If Stinson is getting the 747 buses, will they still run on the 747? Or will there be other buses to run the 747 from LaSalle as today?

In Valérie Plante's campaign, she also called for (I think) 300 more hybrid buses on top of the current ones on order.

I don't go out to spot specifically the 21-XXX very often, but I did notice it appear much less often than a few months ago, but otherwise I can't tell how many there are left.

[Doppelkupplung]

On 12/30/2017 at 10:09 PM, Chinese Daniel said:

The bus was too heavy for Winter tires, But STM can be tri like translink like  Snow socks or like MTA put the snow chain.

Aren't snow chains illegal in QC?

I mean really, do Montreal's roads need to be ruined any more?