Montreal, Quebec — The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is currently under scrutiny after announcing the retirement of 155 buses this year without plans for replacements, contradicting Mayor Valérie Plante’s previous commitment to increase the bus fleet by 300 units. This decision marks a significant shift from the city’s ambitious public transportation goals set during Plante’s campaign.
In 2018, STM initiated a substantial procurement plan with Nova Bus, investing $941 million in 800 new hybrid diesel-electric buses. This fleet expansion was not only aimed at replacing older models but also at increasing the total number of buses to enhance citywide service. Approximately 500 of these new buses were intended to replace aging vehicles, with the rest bolstering the total fleet to over 2,100 units.
However, the dramatic decrease in public transport usage due to the pandemic prompted critical reassessments of this plan. Marvin Rotrand, an opposition councillor, argued that expanding the fleet by 15% when ridership had plummeted by 75% was imprudent and likely perceived as wasteful by taxpayers.
Despite these concerns, the Plante administration initially pressed on with its plan, expecting ridership to rebound to near pre-pandemic levels by 2023. The city also moved forward with related infrastructure expansions, including a $600 million new garage on Bellechasse St to accommodate the growing fleet.
As of now, the administration’s quiet backtrack on its fleet expansion to pre-Plante levels has sparked further debate about the adequacy of public transport planning and the fulfillment of electoral promises. Critics argue this move could undermine trust in public commitments, while proponents may see it as a necessary adjustment to a post-pandemic fiscal reality.
