Wheelchair Access Issues with Montreal Public Transit

Open Letter Regarding Wheelchair Accessible Public
Transportation in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
CC: Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal
Philippe Schnobb, President of Société de transport de
Montréal (STM)
Robert Poëti, Quebec Minister of Transport and Minister
responsible for the Montréal Region
Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport (Government of Canada)
October 19th, 2014
1

Open Letter Re: Wheelchair Accessible Public
As a Montrealer who is disabled and uses a motorized wheelchair
to get around the city, I find it quite ironic that Montreal is the host
of the first “World Summit Destinations for All” (October 19th to
22nd, 2014). This conference will be a platform for the global
tourism industry to discuss issues regarding accessible tourism and
transportation. Organizers and the city should be congratulated for
this initiative; however, all city officials must be aware that
Montreal has not progressed far enough as compared to other
large cities in North America.
Although I can discuss what it is like being hampered by the lack of
accessible bars and restaurants on Crescent Street, a popular
location for tourists, my concern is accessible public transportation,
not including adapted taxis and mini-buses. 2

In the past 11 years, I have been an user of the large STM buses
which are intended to be used by individuals in wheelchairs and
scooters. From 2003 to 2009, I had experienced many problems
with the older model of buses where the ramp was located in the
back. These problems came in the forms:
1. Ramps that did not work due to lack of maintenance
2. Driver did not know how to deploy the ramp
On six occasions, I had to instruct the driver on how to deploy the
ramp, despite the STM contentions that all drivers were properly
trained.
3

In a reply to an email that was sent to the STM in September 2011
regarding trying to embark on three consecutive buses that the
ramps did not work, I was told that the introduction of a new fleet
model (LFS Artic model manufactured by Nova Bus - Volvo Bus
Corporation) where the ramp is located in the front were going to
“improve reliability of the wheelchair accessibility service”.
Based on my experience within the last 4 months, it is certainly not
the case.
4

On two occasions, I was not able to embark on these “accessible”
buses because the ramps were not functioning. Thinking that it was
just my bad luck on two different bus lines on two different days, I was
able to reach other disabled users and discovered that they had
experienced the same problem with the new buses on different parts
of the island of Montreal throughout the past few years.
If I am to believe that all drivers are trained to work with the ramps in
the “accessible” buses, then there is a serious problem with the
maintenance of the buses. Based on the circumstances that I have
gone through in 2003 to 2009, I fear that disabled users will be faced
with “waiting for the next bus” if the STM continues to ignore this
issue.
5

In a recent interview with CBC Montreal * (September 23rd, 2014),
a STM official said, “We offer it, but it’s not a lot of people who use
it,” when questioned about the buses and the maintenance of the
ramps. In addition, the official claimed that the service is “not
popular”.
Is the STM operating and maintaining its services based on
popularity and not necessity?
Is the city selling a bag of ketchup chips** at a depanneur (corner
store) or providing an essential public service?
*Faulty STM bus ramps anger wheelchair user. September 23rd, 2014 (http://www.cbc.ca/1.2769800)
**Quebec! #1. In Quebec, we love Ketchup Chips. That’s right, ketchup chips. March 8th, 2010
(http://robertkarch.com/2010/03/08/quebec-quebec-1-in-quebec-we-love-ketchup-chips-thats-right-ketchup-chips/)
6

While it is great to have an action plan for the future for accessible
public transportation, the STM and The City of Montreal have to
focus on the present issues. Not being able to deal with current
problems will lead disabled users to lose trust in the STM and its
ability to provide a transit service that is truly “accessible” and
“reliable” no matter what is in a plan, claimed
in a mission statement or discussed at an
international conference.
Ian Smith
Cote-St.Luc (Montreal), Quebec, Canada
October 3rd, 2014 (10:31 pm)
STM – Bus 138 West 7

History of problems with STM wheelchair “accessible” buses (2014) (Sample)
Date Bus Line Old / New
Fleet
Key Issue(s) Observation(s)
October 3rd,
2014
138 West New Ramp did not
function
Driver seemed
to be
unprepared to
deploy the
ramp.
July 16th, 2014 161 West New Ramp did not
function
Driver seemed
indifferent.
Told to “wait
for the next
bus”.
8

History of problems with STM wheelchair “accessible” buses (2014) (Sample)
Date Bus Line Old / New
Fleet
Key Issue(s) Observation(s)
July 1st, 2014 161 East Old Told the ramp
was not
functioning.
Embarked
after: i) asking
the driver to
prove that the
ramp was not
working and ii)
instructing how
to deploy the
ramp.
1) Driver was
quick to
inform me
that the
ramp did
not work.
2) Driver was
unprepared
to deploy
the ramp.
9

Below is a listing of link to television reports, editorials and videos
documenting the history of problems with the STM low floor buses.
Despite the evidence over the years, the transit agency claims that it is a
small issue.
• Problème d'accès aux autobus de la STM #289 - 11 Mars 2015 (March
11, 2015, Source: YouTube)
• Editorial: Transit should be accessible (March 10, 2015, Source: The
Montreal Gazette)
• Accessibilize Montreal Claims the STM Has an Institutionalized Culture
of Ableism (March 6, 2015, Source: Link Newspaper)
• Why Should It Be Your Problem? - Universal Accessibility in Montreal
(March 4, 2015, Source: Montreal’s Community Contact)
• Bus driver refuses to lower mobility ramp for woman (February 28th,
2015, Source: CTV News – Montreal)
• STM bus driver refuses to lower ramp for woman with walker
(February 27th, 2015, Source: CBC News – Montreal)
10

• Wheelchair users should be free to travel like all Montrealers
(November 10, 2014, Source: The Montreal Gazette)
• STM can learn a lot from Dublin on bus accessibility (November 5, 2014,
Source: The Montreal Gazette)
• Montrealers with disabilities demand accessible transit system (July
28, 2014, Source: The McGill Daily)
• Dans la peau d'une personne en fauteuil roulant (May 27th, 2014,
Source: 24 Heures)
• Wheelchair users frustrated by lack of buses to Ile Ste. Helene (August
16, 2013, Source: CTV Montreal)
• Problème d'accès #88-Discrimination et autobus de la STM 101 –
VIDEO (September 19, 2011, Source: RAPLIQ)
• Problème d'accès #87-L'accessibilité des autobus de la STM négligée
(September 18, 2011, Source: RAPLIQ)
• Defective bus fleet leaves wheelchair users stranded
(August 2, 2008, Source: The Montreal Gazette)
11

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Wheelchair Access Issues with Montreal Public Transit

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