We asked Montrealers to share their biggest STM pet peeves and they did not hold back

<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/using-the-opus-smart-card-to-enter-montreal-metro-berri-uqam-station-ticket-gates.jpg?id=56486068&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Like any major public transit system, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-stm">Montreal's STM</a> isn't perfect. Ask a bus or metro rider, and they're likely to give you an earful about its flaws. With that in mind, that's exactly what we did.</p><p>Taking to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MTLBlog/posts/pfbid02aGbZTywrYeQuhtmvJkpkJNcHssMzi4LaScDcnzfygRXgRLFgbaDomuFyoPrMbbFCl" target="_blank">Facebook,</a> we asked MTL Blog readers the following question: "What's your biggest pet peeve with Montreal's STM?"</p><p>With <a href="https://www.stm.info/fr/a-propos/informations-entreprise-et-financieres/rapport-annuel-2023/rapport-dactivite" target="_blank">over 285 million recorded STM trips per year</a>, public transit is a daily reality for countless Montrealers and, based on the responses we got, so are the frustrations that come with it.</p><p>From bus driving techniques to broken escalators that seem permanently out of service, here are some of the most popular STM complaints — straight from the people who ride it every day.</p><h3>Metro hours</h3><br/><p>Plenty of STM bus routes run 24 hours a day. However, last call on the metro is 1 a.m. (1:30 a.m. on Saturdays).</p><p>We got plenty of responses from folks arguing that trains should keep running overnight to accommodate those who don't have a typical nine-to-five.</p><p>"I personally think the metro and the bus should run later since there's a lot of people who work late," one response read.</p><p>Others noted that metro lines should run later so nightlife enthusiasts can get home safely — without having to take a cab or Uber.<br/></p><p>"Why TF do they shut down as the bars let out? That's when we need public transit the most!"</p><h3>A lack of English</h3><br><p>Like many things in Quebec, metro announcements are in one language only. While this aligns with Quebec's language laws, it may pose a challenge for anglophone and allophone commuters who rely on public transit.</p><p>One user in the comments section lamented the "only-French announcements in the metro."</p><p>And speaking of announcements, there were also complaints about the volume.</p><p>Someone else described "not being able to hear the announcements clearly. They always sound like the woman has her hand over her mouth!"</p><h3>Cleanliness</h3><br/><p>For many STM riders, cleanliness — or rather, the lack of it — is a major issue. From grimy bus seats to stained station walls, plenty of commuters feel that maintenance has taken a backseat.</p><p>"The filth. I mean, come on," one frustrated user put it bluntly. "It is poorly maintained throughout winter... beyond ridiculous... filthy."</p><p>Others zeroed in on the state of bus interiors, noting how they've deteriorated over time. </p><p>One commuter reminisced about when STM buses still felt fresh and well-kept: "When they were new, they were lovely, but they're filthy now — horribly."</p><p>But it's not just buses that have riders cringing. Metro stations are showing signs of neglect, too. Several commenters pointed to specific stations that have fallen into disrepair.</p><p>"Stations are very dirty. Have a good look at Plamondon Station... there are terrible stains from leaking pipes where the platform meets the walls. Up until recently... there were huge puddles."</p><h3>Slamming the brakes</h3><br/><p>For many OPUS card owners, riding an STM bus is a built-in core workout, especially when no seats are available.</p><p>Holding onto a pole for dear life as the bus jerks to a stop seems to be a shared experience among Montreal commuters. One of the most common complaints? The way some drivers seem to have a heavy foot on both the gas and brake pedals.</p><p>"The bus drivers drive like they are riding a horse," one user wrote. "I'm surprised they don't have passengers falling."</p><p>"Bus drivers like to drive too fast and then slam on the brakes, which creates a great opportunity for a hip fracture," another added.</p><h3>Broken escalators</h3><br/><p>Escalators and elevators that are regularly out of service have become an all-too-common sight in metro stations across the city.</p><p>Commuters seem fed up with climbing and descending endless flights of stairs, especially in deep stations like Guy-Concordia or Charlevoix.</p><p>"Some escalators are almost always not-working-and-then-working-again in many stations on a regular basis," one frustrated rider pointed out. "Do they purposely turn them off at certain hours??? Seems like it happens daily. Very difficult for those with health issues, baby strollers, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>etc."</p><h3>The lack of routes</h3><br/><p>The STM is <a href="https://www.stm.info/en/press/media-resources/about-stm#:~:text=The%20STM%20is%20the%20third,on%20the%20Island%20of%20Montr%C3%A9al." target="_blank">North America’s third-largest transit system</a>. Positioned right behind New York and Toronto, its metro spans 71 km with four lines and 68 stations, while 2,000 buses cover 500 square km.</p><p>Still, many Montrealers feel it doesn't reach far enough.</p><p>"It doesn't go to Châteauguay," one person pointed out.</p><p>"The metro should have been built to reach the West Island," someone else argued.</p><p>And for others, the fact that it stops at Angrignon instead of extending further west remains a major frustration.</p></br><p>Want more brutally honest takes about the city?</p><p>We recently asked Montrealers to dish on the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/montreal-tourist-traps" target="_blank">biggest "tourist traps" on the island</a>, and some answers might surprise you — from a the country's largest Ferris wheel to a <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/oldest-montreal-restaurants-still-open" target="_blank">historic restaurant</a> that some say isn't worth the hype.</p>

mingooland February 15, 2025

4 min read