The Réseau express métropolitain, known as REM, is halving the length of its trains on weekends and holidays, it says, to better match rider demand while reducing wear and tear.
As of Sunday, weekend trains pulling into REM stations will have two cars instead of four. These “short REM trains,” as the REM’s developer CDPQ Infra calls them, will help reduce energy consumption and prolong the life of its cars.
CDPQ Infra spokesperson Francis Labbé said a normal week on the REM sees an average of 24,000 daily users, most taking the electric train Monday to Friday.
While weekdays can see up to 36,000 riders, he said weekend ridership is “way less than that.”
Labbé said they will also be looking into running the shorter trains during the week outside of peak hours.
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François Pépin, who sits on the board of Trajectoire Québec, an association representing the interests of commuters in all matters related to public transit, says CDPQ Infra’s decision is a smart move.
“Even the Metro is still at about 80 per cent ridership of what it was before the pandemic,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see if the transit ridership in general comes back in Montreal because the level of activity, especially with the people working at home, especially in the downtown area, has not reached what it was before the pandemic.”
“That’s the problem for transit.”
Labbé says the “long REM trains” will be brought back on weekends as needed, for example, if there’s a large-scale event taking place.
“We can adapt very easily to situations, if there’s the Grand Prix for example, if for a specific event more space is needed in some train it’s not a problem. Our operators are used to that,” he said.
To ride the shorter trains, CDPQ Infra says commuters can look for the “1ère voiture” (first car) signs on platforms which will be installed as a temporary measure. REM agents will also be circulating to guide users.
The REM currently runs from downtown Montreal to Brossard, Que., and will eventually include service to the West Island, Deux-Montagnes, Que., and Trudeau Airport.