Shuttle buses to support Montreal's REM network until it's actually reliable
Temporary measure meant to offer commuters more predictability
Montreal's regional public transit authority began deploying shuttle buses this morning to support the REM light-rail network, in an effort to improve service predictability after a string of breakdowns over the last few weeks.
About 10 buses will be deployed during rush hour every day for an indeterminate period of time. The buses will run between downtown Montreal and the South Shore and are meant to operate alongside the REM — when it's working — and catch the fallout when it fails.
Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault held an emergency meeting with the REM's partners Tuesday afternoon and asked them to come up with solutions to regain the dwindling trust of riders.
While the network has been plagued by service slowdowns and breakdowns ever since it opened in July 2023, the last month has truly put the patience of users to the test.
First, a power outage in early February led to a three-hour-long service interruption during the afternoon rush hour. Service broke down again about 12 hours later following a track switch malfunction and then again later that same day.
The recent snowstorm has also led to slower service on the REM. This morning, a technical issue again caused delays.