The Quebec government and the city of Montreal announced Tuesday they will be adding 300 new hybrid buses to the STM.
The buses will feature air conditioning and USB charging stations.
It’s unclear where in Montreal the buses will be added.
“We can’t say exactly where,” Philippe Schnobb, STM chairperson, said. “We know that some areas need more services like Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles, Lachine for instance and we know that Griffintown needs more service.”
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Tuesday’s announcement was an election campaign promise that Valérie Plante has kept.
Public transport was a key subject for Plante during her campaign and she says her family doesn’t own a car.
“We’ve been using public transport, the four of us, for 20 years,” Plante said. “So it’s really part of my life.”
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The buses are expected to be delivered by 2020.
The STM says $75 million will be spent annually on operation costs, but there’s no number on the price of the buses.
“We’re starting a call for tenders so we don’t know what will be the final cost,” Schnobb said.
Tuesday’s announcement will boost the STM’s total number of buses to 2,107.
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