Transit service slowdown expected to last eight weeks, and possibly longer
The Société de transport de Laval is asking its clients to check carefully whether scheduled STL bus routes are operating normally because of a breakdown in the transit agency’s usual supply-chain, which has cut the STL off from repair components and spare parts.
Because of the shortage, the STL is unable to keep enough buses on the road to provide full service. According to the STL, it’s a situation that’s expected to last four to eight weeks, but possibly longer.
Down by 60 bus trips
About 60 of the STL’s 2,500 daily bus trips were cancelled last week, for an overall 2.6-per-cent service reduction affecting about 1,980 passengers. However, weekend schedules are not expected to be affected.
“The STL is facing unusual difficulties in its internal parts supply chain and fleet management,” the STL said last weekend in a statement on their website.
As of last Monday March 16, the STL said it would be restoring approximately thirty bus trips that had previously been cancelled out of its 60 routes.
Limiting impact on clients
“Temporarily, we unfortunately cannot guarantee accessible vehicles on accessible routes,” they said, while adding, “Our teams are working diligently to restore the situation as quickly as possible. Our priority is to limit the impacts on our customers.”
Passengers are being invited to contact the STL’s customer contact centre to verify, among other things, whether a bus serving for a planned trip is equipped with a ramp. The agency partly blamed a particularly harsh winter and the pressure it placed on the STL vehicle fleet for the disruptions.
Some help for daily bus trips:
STL passengers are being asked to check their bus trips daily by:
- Visiting the STL website (stllaval.ca);
- Calling the customer contact centre at 450-688-6520;
- Subscribing to service alerts;
- Texting the bus stop number to 511785 a few minutes before a trip;
- And using trip planning tools such as Google or Transit.
Service disruptions ongoing
Effective last Monday, the number of daily cancelled trips was still expected to be reduced, including a good number during the morning peak rush-hour, and nine during the afternoon peak period. STL management was inviting passengers to consult an up-to-date list of cancelled trips on the STL website.
In addition, the transit agency cautioned that no service would be offered during the current disruptions at certain stops during work week rush hours. And no boarding or drop offs would be possible at these stops during the specified period.
