Unvalidated passages at the STM: 1.2 million reports in 2023

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) recorded 1.2 million reports for non-validation of travel tickets on buses and the metro in 2023. This is an increase of 13% compared to 2019, reveal data obtained by Radio-Canada through a request for access to information.

These reports are based on observations by bus drivers and metro station agents. When a user does not validate their ticket or jumps over a turnstile, employees of the STM can report it.

It’s a scourge. There is no typical profile that we denote. A person will pay or not. But what we notice is that there are more and moreexplains the president of the union of bus, metro, adapted transport and station agents drivers, Frédéric Therrien.

The STM However, adds nuances to these reports. Each report does not necessarily represent a non-payment because, in the bus network, we have a lot of people who get on the buses and do not validate their card.explains the Safety and Fire Safety Director of the STMJocelyn Latulippe.

According to the president of the Brotherhood of Constables and Peace Officers of the STMKevin Grenier, users with a monthly subscription and not validating their OPUS card represent between 15% and 25% of these reports, while the others completely fail to pay for their passage.

One thing that is certain is that since the pandemic, there is really a lot more bad behavior compared to the perception that is adopted by customers.

Financial losses for the STM

It is difficult to have a precise portrait of the financial losses caused by non-payment of fares by users. There STM does not give an estimate linked to the reports.

The STMlike the drivers’ union, however, affirms that the number of reports for non-validation of titles does not represent reality, because drivers and agents do not see all the offenders.

According to calculations carried out by Radio-Canada, by subtracting the number of users with a subscription who do not validate their OPUS card, these losses could be estimated between 1.6 and 2.2 million dollars in 2023.

For that same year, 288 million validated trips were recorded by the STM.

STM, out of concern for fairness towards all users. Financially, is that really what the STM account to balance its budgets? No, because financing is still a much more complex issue”,”text”:”The issue of non-payment is an issue for the STM, for the sake of fairness to all users. Financially, is this really what the STM is counting on to balance its budgets? No, because financing is still a much more complex issue”}}”>The issue of non-payment is an issue for the STMfor the sake of fairness to all users. Financially, is this really what the STM account to balance its budgets? No, because financing is still a much more complex issueadded Jocelyn Latulippe.

The STM adds that the number of vulnerable people has increased within the network and that they are frequently caught in default of payment.

During the week, around thirty special constables survey the entire network.

We are inundated with calls because of all the incivilityexplains Kevin Grenier. This means that special constables have less time to respond to reports of non-payment. The STM is currently hiring additional staff.