STM – Page 2 – The Concordian

Commonly described by words such as “extremely uncomfortable” and “having to wait,” the 105 bus is used by many Concordia students use to get to the university’s Loyola campus in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

“It makes me not want to go to school”, says Danica Bourque, a psychology student who takes the 105 bus everyday to get to class. “There’s nothing worse than a jam-packed bus.”

However, that may change in the near future as there has been some recent talk at the Société de transport du Montréal of reintroducing trolley buses in some areas of the city — and the 105 bus line is one they’re seriously considering for the switch.

Electric trolley buses roamed the streets of Montreal from 1937 to 1966, until they were replaced by diesel buses.

Trolleys are generally bigger, more comfortable and less noisy than an average diesel bus, not to mention environmentally friendly. The STM estimates the cost of converting the 105 from bus to trolley at $750 million.

“I think it’s an excellent idea if there’s more room in them, I’m tired of feeling like a sardine every morning and every night”, says Margarita Miseros, a psychology student who is frequently at the Loyola campus.

The Montreal Gazette reported that the 105, which runs up and down Sherbrooke St. west of Decarie Blvd., carries an average of 17,000 passengers per day. Concordia students and staff alike showed their discontent with the 105 this summer by starting a petition on the Internet to ask the STM to boost service on the line.

Despite passing every three minutes during rush hour, the 105 bus line often remains crowded, a problem that STM vice-chairman Marvin Rotrand says they’re trying to fix.

“On this particular line, every time we add service instead of easing crowding, it attracts more riders,” explained Rotrand in an article by the Montreal Gazette.

San Francisco and Moscow are two of the biggest cities that still rely on tramways for their public transportation.

Despite the underground tunnel connecting Concordia University buildings to Guy-Concordia Metro station, the cockroach infestation discovered last week on the metro platforms is not affecting the campus, according to Concordia spokesperson Chris Mota.

She said the university’s facilities and management department was conducting regular inspections. When asked to see the reports of these inspections, Mota replied that “it was not in [the university’s] practice to share any type of inspection reports, pest control or otherwise.” The Concordian has filed an access to information request for the reports.

An article published last week by Agence QMI pointed out a strong presence of cockroaches at Guy-Concordia Metro station, where passengers have spotted insects on a regular basis at the bottom of walls and stairs along the platforms. In an interview with The Concordian, STM spokesperson Marianne Rouette said the transit authority was aware of the problem as it noticed last summer that Guy-Concordia was one of the “principal sources” of cockroach nests.

“The problem is mainly concentrated near the tracks because of cracks in water pipes and food thrown on the ground by users,” said Rouette. “We have not heard of any spreading beyond the mezzanine, towards restaurants or the tunnel to Concordia, and we have put paste and traps on the footbridge to avoid any chances of propagation.”

RMB Extermination, the pest control company hired by the STM, would not comment on the bugs possibly spreading, saying the information is confidential.

An exterminator working for ABC Pest Control and Extermination told AQMI the problem was likely caused by the metro station food court; several fast-food restaurants, including Treats and Tim Hortons, have locations there. Rouette refuted the argument, saying the problem is mainly due to the water on the tracks and the platforms. A food court employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, concurred.

“I have never seen any cockroaches up here,” she said. “The only thing I know is that last time I was waiting for the metro, an STM agent told me I should lift up my bag because ‘things’ could be on the ground.”

Measures implemented by the STM to fight the infestation include getting the extermination company to intervene in the station once a week instead of once a month and ensuring their employees treat the problem every night. The public transit authority has also been working on fixing the water pipes and moved the garbage bins from the platform level to the mezzanine to avoid having food residues next to the tracks.

“You also have to understand that Montreal is an island and that we are underground,” Rouette concluded. “The results have been good so far but we will never get rid of the problem entirely.”

The university and the STM recommend students avoid putting their bags on the ground and not throw garbage and food on the floor.