Public Transport: skis tolerated at any time, except in Laval

TOMA ICZKOVITS/QMI AGENCY
Mathieu Simard had received a statement of offence of the STM for transporting their skis in the metro during the peak period in 2016.

Zechariah Goudreault

Thursday, December 21, 2017 19:33

UPDATE
Thursday, December 21, 2017 19:33

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Fans of winter sports will be permitted to carry their skis, their snowboards and their sled at any time this winter in the transit services from the metropolitan area, except in Laval.

A little over a month after the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) had authorized the transport of skis, snowboards, toboggans and other equipment in the winter in the metro and the bus at any time this winter, the metropolitan transit system (RTM) has followed suit this week by applying this initiative to all suburban trains and buses of the north and south suburbs are under its custody.

“It was not easy to take public transportation because I couldn’t take it during peak hours. […] To have access to the gare Mont-Saint-Hilaire without taking into account peak hours, it will really be” practice, welcomed the adept of skiing Ronald Houde, who resides in the borough of Saint-Laurent.

Until recently, the users of the suburban train, carrying with them the cross-country skis in the peak hours will face a fine of $ 122 with fees.

“It was forbidden [during peak hours] for reasons of capacity on our network”, explained the councillor for relations with the media of the RTM, Elaine Arsenault, who states that such equipment should not take the place of another user, and that the skis must be attached.

“I am very happy for the people of Greater Montreal. It was totally absurd to prevent people from moving around six hours per day,” said cross-country skier Mathieu Simard, who is contesting a statement of offence of $ 102 delivered by the STM last winter for having taken the subway with his skis in hand.

Tolerance

The réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL), although it has not yet amended its rules prohibiting the transport of such sports facilities in the peak hours, will go in the same path this winter.

“There is approach to change our regulations. […] By the change, we nor tolerate the skis to board our bus in rush hour,” confirmed “24 Hours” the communications advisor and public affairs at RTL, Alicia Lymburner.

From 6 January to 11 march, a shuttle bus of the RTL will be the weekend of the ride to the metro station Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke up to the station Ski Saint-Bruno.

Forbidden in Laval

Unlike the other three transport companies of the metropolitan region, the Société de transport de Laval (STL) does not yet allow the skis to the peak hours, although their presence is permitted for the rest of the day.

“The drivers have not had clear guidelines. They need to do to comply with the regulations currently in force,” said Estelle Lacroix, a spokesperson for the STL, which states that “the access to the bus may be denied” to the users concerned.

The regional Authority of metropolitan transport (ARTM) will harmonize the course of the next year the regulations of the four transportation companies that it oversees.

“We want to make life easier for users,” noted the spokesperson Fanie St-Pierre.