Delay in the deployment of àVélo

The fourth season of the electrified bike-sharing service in Quebec took off sharply on May 1st. In its first month of operation, àVélo recorded twice as many trips as in May 2023.

The Capital Transport Network (RTC) also announced 41 new stations for the season, all of which were to be installed before June 1.

But some delays persist and six stations are still not deployed.

This delay is explained by the electrification of the new stations, explains RTC spokesperson Raphaëlle Savard.

“Last year, at the start of the season, we only had three electrified stations, and we will have 50 electrified stations for this season,” she told Sun.

In 2024, the RTC added 41 new stations and 500 electric bicycles. (RTC)

The electrification work, carried out in collaboration with Hydro-Québec, would take longer than expected and outside the control of the RTC, adds the spokesperson.

The RTC is unable to provide a timeline for the opening of the missing stations.

The three new stations in Loretteville are still not in operation. A station in the Saint-Sacrement district, one in Sainte-Foy and one at Parc Victoria are also late.

Two stations, Chapdelaine/De Belmont and 13e rue/1ère avenue, were put into service only on Friday, two weeks later than planned. The National Museum of Fine Arts station opened on Thursday only.

On May 6, the transport company announced that all stations should be operational by June 1.

Victim of his own success

On the àVélo Facebook page, many users regularly complain about only finding empty stations during rush hours.

By the end of the afternoon, several users of the service reported seeing all the stations in the central districts without any bicycles, while those on the outskirts were at full capacity.

According to the RTC, the doubled ridership represents a major challenge in the distribution of bicycles across the territory.

The addition of new stations also requires “adjustments” for the àVélo teams, we responded to the Sun.

The RTC assures that new measures are coming to improve the distribution of bicycles in the territory.