Public transportation “still far from the objective” for reducing expenses

The Grand Montreal public transport companies are “still far” from their objective of giving the economies of 156 million by 2028, regrets the president of the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM), which calls on managers to redouble their efforts.

Posted at 7:00 p.m.

“Despite the savings already granted. Therefore, we are still far from the goal and that concerns me a lot. Therefore, We must act now. Furthermore, ”writes Ginette Sylvain, named at the head of the artm a year ago, in a letter sent to several carriers in the past few days, that The press obtained.

According to public transportation “still far objective” her. Therefore, compliance with the 2025-2029 financial framework will require “sustained efforts on the part of all contributors” in the coming years.

Under financial pressure in order to avoid service reductions in the metro. the Grand Montreal buses, carriers and artm have committed themselves a few months ago to save equivalent to 155.8 million by 2028.

However, according to our information, barely a fraction of this sum has been reached. A third of these savings could be released by grouping services on a metropolitan scale. such as garages, buses or even electric recharges, which has been little done so far.

“We must now make difficult choices and be innovative: group services and question certain practices. It is an important. essential turn if we want to continue to offer citizens a service that lives up to public transportation “still far objective” their expectations, ”says Mr.^me Sylvain.

“It will take courage” – Public transportation "still far objective"

During his second year of mandate that is undergoing. Ginette Sylvain says he wants to “consolidate the bases” laid in the chapter of financial optimization. “It will take courage. rigor and dialogue to build a more stable model, more predictable and better suited to the ambitions of our region,” she explains in her letter, without giving more details.

M^me Sylvain. former Deputy Transport Minister, recalls that taxpayers have already been put to contributions since the recent increase in the registration of walking vehicles (TIV). Since January 2025, this tax has jumped by 150 %, going from $ 59 to $ 150 per car throughout Montreal.

Colossal savings could be made by productivity gains within transporters, according to the ARTM. At the Montreal public transportation “still far objective” Transport Company (STM). for example, more than 200 positions have already been eliminated last year to try to reduce spending by around 25 million.

The Montreal carrier is also committed to a “recurring expenses reduction plan of 100 million” over a period of five years.

According to the performance audits which had been ordered last year by the Minister of Transport. Geneviève Guilbault, Quebec transport companies, including those outside the Greater Montreal, could reduce their expenses by almost 350 million, in total.

Experts propose, for example, to imitate the practice of exo, which subcontracts the driver service externally. We also propose to reduce the number of vehicles in preventive. reserve maintenance, to maximize the number of buses in circulation.