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Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Even if this overhaul, implemented on 1er July, was planned for a long time, there is a lot of confusion: getting a ticket using the OPUS card becomes Kafkaesque, distributors do not recognize the previous card, obtaining information from the ARTM is almost impossible […] Do we do everything to get away from public transport?
Roger Vaillancourt
You are far from the only one to rail against the overhaul of the ARTM. With its new ticket at $5.25 to take the metro in Laval or Longueuil, which makes it the most expensive metro ticket in North America, let’s just say that the ARTM has attracted a lot of criticism.
However, this major cleaning was necessary. There were far too many titles: 750 spread over 8 zones in 17 different price lists. With the redesign, the number of zones has been reduced to four within a single fee schedule.
“The change is going well”, assures us Simon Charbonneau, spokesperson for the ARTM, even if he recognizes that the Authority and its operator partners “have to deal with a historical technological platform, which induces challenges for some of customers”.
Proof that the transition is not going smoothly, “additional explanatory stickers are being installed on the various sales equipment”, specifies Mr. Charbonneau, who adds that the ARTM is working with the operators to improve the fluidity at sales counters. Note that the old titles are still valid and that they can be used under the same conditions as before 1er July.
However, this overhaul irritates users in Longueuil and Laval. We can even speak of an unfair situation.
As we wrote above, it now costs $5.25 to take the metro at the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke station, on the yellow line, or at Montmorency, on the orange line. These two stations, as well as the Cartier and de la Concorde stations in Laval, are now in zone AB, while the rest of the metro stations are in zone A. You therefore need an AB ticket, plus expensive $1.75 than zone A ticket.
The good news, because there is one, is that the AB ticket also allows connection to all buses within 120 minutes. However, if the user buys tickets individually, he must bring a second card, because the Opus card does not accept tickets from two different zones. When you think that in some cities, you can pay with your cell phone…
And maybe you didn’t know it, but we have to pay $5.25 in both directions.
Are you leaving Montreal to attend a course at the Longueuil campus of the Université de Sherbrooke, or a concert at Place Bell, in Laval? You need to get an AB zone ticket at $5.25. Same thing if you board at Henri-Bourassa station and disembark one station further, at Cartier.
However, we appeal to your good faith since no ticket validation is planned. And no visual sign warns the user that he is changing zone. But be aware that if you get caught during an audit and you don’t have the right ticket, you could receive a hefty ticket ($150 or more).
An opposition group has formed on the South Shore to denounce the new pricing. Last week, his petition had amassed nearly 9,000 signatures.
While more and more cities around the world are considering free public transit to fight climate change, and while we want to encourage people to leave their cars when they come from the suburbs to Montreal, this 5, $25 goes wrong.
Many users wonder why they would be the only ones to pick up the bill. Remember that they contribute about 27% of public transit funding in the greater Montreal area, compared to a meager 4% for motorists who also benefit from using public transit.
In this context, the move to $5.25 is hardly justified.