New multi-municipality bus line begins service on Montreal's South Shore | CBC News

Montreal’s South Shore has a new kind of bus service.

On Monday, the 901 Taschereau became the first metropolitan bus route in the Montérégie region to connect previously separate transit territories.

The route will run from the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke Metro station to Terminus Georges-Gagné in Delson through Brossard, La Prairie and Candiac. The route will also connect with the REM at Panama station.

The line is the first major project under the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain’s (ARTM) BUS+ program, which aims to create a more integrated network of higher-frequency bus routes across the region.

For passengers, one of the most important changes is the ability to board and exit along the route without being restricted by the traditional boundaries between transit agencies.

Philippe Dubé, director of operations at the ARTM, said the previous arrangement limited where passengers could be picked up once a bus crossed into another territory.

“Now, the buses will be able to let people come in and out at every station,” Dubé said.

The new approach allows the Réseau de transport de l’agglomération de Longueuil (RTL) and other transit agencies such as Exo to reduce some of the inefficiencies created by overlapping services. Transit officials estimate the arrangement will save about $500,000 annually.

A 1st step for Taschereau Boulevard

The route follows one of the South Shore’s major transportation corridors and is expected to make cross-municipal travel easier for commuters, students and other transit users.

Brossard Mayor Doreen Assaad welcomed the launch while emphasizing that the route is only one part of a larger vision for transportation in the area.

“It’s not a dedicated rapid bus,” Assaad said, adding she and Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier “have a vision” to connect the two poles of transportation in Brossard and Longueuil.

“I think that we’re going to be able to gather data and see how the usage is going to be for this metropolitan bus line,” she said. “It’s an excellent first step.”

Officials expect ridership along the corridor to increase by roughly 15 per cent once the route reaches maturity, which could take one or two years.

The route is expected to operate seven days a week, with service extending from early morning into the evening.