The Laval transit authority says it is forced to cancel trips starting Tuesday, and “for the next few weeks”, because of the number of broken buses and problems in the supply of parts.
Approximately sixty journeys per day are expected to be cancelled, with 39 during the morning rush hour and 23 during the late afternoon rush hour. This will represent a service reduction of around 2.6 per cent.
In a statement released on Monday, the STL explained that it “does not have a sufficient number of vehicles to offer its full service under these conditions. Travel cancellations are to be expected from Tuesday, March 10th.”
The transport company expects “minimal” disruptions for the next four to eight weeks.
To explain these cancellations and disruptions, the STL cites difficulties with its internal parts supply chain, in the management of its equipment, in addition to the harsh winter which caused mechanical problems to the vehicles.
“This is the only possible decision under the circumstances, as we must act responsibly to prioritize the safety of our customers and employees,” commented STL’s general manager, Josée Roy.
The STL specifies that it makes 2500 bus trips per day, or 68,000 trips per day.
The selection of routes to be cancelled “was made according to a weighting system designed to minimize the impact on customers as much as possible,” explains the STL. Therefore, the busiest routes will not be affected, nor will school routes, nor routes that coincide with the first and last metro departures.
STL invites users to check the latest information on its website, subscribe to alerts, call the Customer Contact Centre or use technological means to plan their journeys.
In general, public transport companies have been complaining about underfunding for several years.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
