The regional transport authority for the Montreal metropolitain area, or ARTM, announced Friday a gradual lifting of COVID-19 lockdown measures and a return to normal fare collection on buses.
The announcement affects buses on the exo networks, the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL), Société de transport de Laval, (STL) and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).
While the return to normal will happen over the next few weeks, customers are being warned that they must hold a valid ticket at all times.
Transport companies are in the process of installing protective screens for drivers which will allow for front-door boarding and with it, on-board fare collection to resume.
Once the fleets have been retrofitted with the protective equipment, clients will have to board at the front of the bus, make their payment or validate their tickets and exit at the back.
Back-door exiting will be mandatory except for those with mobility issues.
The STM says fare collection and cash payments for its adapted transport services and the 212 Ste-Anne line will begin on June 29. As for its standard fleet, no specific date has been announced.
The RTL will begin fare collection for para-transit on July 1 and is aiming for mid-July for the rest, while the STL announced it will resume fare collection on Aug. 1.