The City
of Montreal is the second largest municipality in Canada, with a population of
about 1.9 million people. The transit
system, la Société de transport de Montréal, has the
second largest bus fleet in Canada, after the Toronto Transit Commission. The STM operates a fleet of 759 Metro cars
and about 1700 buses, mostly NovaBus LFS transit,
hybrid and articulated buses. The STM
also operates the Métro subway system, one of only
four public transit systems in the Americas to run a rubber-tired subway. The STM is the largest of the AMT transit
systems, the agency providing transit service throughout the Greater Montreal
Region.
All photos are by the webmaster.
For
photos of the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013, click
here.
Le Métro de Montréal
The Metro running on the Green Line, pulling
into Angrignon Station on June 6, 2003. The metro uses three-car units usually
hooked together in groups of two or three:
On the Green and Orange Lines, three units are used, making a nine-car-long
train; while on the Yellow and Blue Lines, only two units are used, making a
six-car train. In low-demand periods
such as weekends or during the summer, the Blue Line often uses only one
three-car unit per train. |
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The Metro is just pulling into Angrignon Station after entering service on June 6,
2003. This train is made up of MR-63
cars, built by Canadian Vickers in the 1960s and later completely
refurbished. These trains have been in
operation since 1966 and are used primarily on the Green and Yellow Lines. |
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This MR-63 train was spotted running on the
Yellow Line, arriving at Berri-UQAM Station on
August 3, 2009. Though not clear in
this photo, the headsign still reads “Berri-de Montigny”, the
original name of the Metro’s largest station which was changed to Berri-UQAM back in 1989. |
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This train is shown running on the Green
Line, pulling out of Berri-UQAM Station on August
3, 2009. Because of Montreal’s severe
winter climate, the Metro has no above ground sections, even when crossing
the mile-wide St. Lawrence River. This
photo clearly shows the rubber tires used in the Montreal Metro; the trains
are equipped with hidden steel wheels to support the trains in case of tire
failure. |
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A Green Line train is shown just leaving
Guy-Concordia Station on August 3, 2009.
As with other Green Line trains, it is made up of MR-63 cars. The MR-63 cars are expected to be retired
starting in 2014 as the new MDM-10 subway trains enter service, and should
all be gone by 2017, providing fifty years of service in Montreal. |
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The Metro running on the Yellow Line is seen
at Berri-UQAM Station on Dec. 27, 2001. This train is made up of MR-73 cars built
by Bombardier, which entered service in 1976 and now used mostly on the
Orange and Blue Lines, though at the time this photo was taken they were also
used on the Yellow Line. |
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This MR-73 train is shown operating on the
Orange Line at Bonaventure Station on August 3, 2009. |
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A Blue Line train is seen pulling into
Snowdon Station in this photo taken on August 3, 2009. |
General Motors T6H-5307N
14-008 is a preserved 1972 GM New Look, now
owned by the Fondation l’Heritage
du Transport en Commun du Québec (FHTCQ). It originally ran for the CTCUM and STCUM
before being retired in 1987, after which it was sold to Autobus
Verreault in Granby and used for transit service
there. It was then acquired by the
FHTCQ in 1997 and restored to its original brown-and-white paint scheme. 14-008 is shown on display at the
Mont-Royal garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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24-110 was a 1982 New Look, seen on boul.
René-Lévesque on May 22, 2002. All the
New Looks have now been retired in Montreal, with the last one running in
December 2002. Note the double-width
folding exit doors on this bus; not very many transit systems ordered their
New Looks with this configuration.
Other systems with this option included Boston’s MBTA, the Edmonton
Transit System, and the Hamilton Street Railway. |
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33-008 is a preserved single-door 1983 GM New
Look, the last to be delivered to the CTCUM, and is shown on display with
55-001 at the Keolis garage in Repentigny during
the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013.
This bus is equipped with high-back seats and luggage racks, and was
originally used for sightseeing tours before being used on West Island routes
until it was retired in 1999. Now
owned by the FHTCQ, 33-008 has been preserved in its original early-1980s
livery, complete with Gray Line logos and CTCUM identifying marks. |
GM/MCI/NovaBus
TC-40102N
54-049 was spotted at Viau
Station by the Biodôme de Montréal on Dec. 27,
2001. This bus was one of 60 GM
Classics purchased in 1984, and features padded seats and McKay gates at the
exit doors, as specified on the 1983 and 1984 Classics ordered by the CTCUM. |
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55-001 is a preserved 1985 GM Classic owned
by the FHTCQ, shown on display at the Keolis garage
in Terrebonne during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. These buses were the first Classics to be
delivered to the STCUM after it was formed in January 1985, and featured
vinyl-lined fibreglass seats and step-operated exit doors. |
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55-050 was a 1985 GM Classic seen on rue de
la Montagne near the Molson Centre on Dec. 27,
2001. Note the tinted standee windows
on this bus; GM Classics purchased in 1985 and 1986 had this feature, while
other buses had clear standee windows. |
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56-023 was a 1986 GM Classic spotted laying up at Angrignon
Station. This photo was taken on June
6, 2003. All of Montreal’s GM Classics
have been withdrawn from service. |
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59-050 was a 1989 MCI Classic, seen waiting
to start another trip at Angrignon Station on June
6, 2003. These buses were the first
Montreal Classics to feature rear windows and the last rollsign
equipped buses in Montreal. This photo
shows the bus equipped with a headsign with
separate digits, which were installed in the early 2000s to allow the STM to
realign routes without updating the rollsigns. The last 1989 Classics were retired in
October 2008. |
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60-013 was a 1990 MCI Classic, spotted on rue
St-Jacques in downtown Montreal on August 3, 2009. This bus was the only 1990 Classic in
revenue service at the time as all the other 60 series Classics were
withdrawn in October 2008. However,
60-013 remained in service until it was retired in September 2009. |
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60-014 was another 1990 Classic, shown
boarding passengers at Angrignon Station on June 6,
2003. |
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60-017 was spotted at Angrignon
Station on Dec. 27, 2001. This bus was
also purchased in 1990. Montreal
numbered its buses from series 13 in 1971, to series 25 in 1983, then the numbers jumped to series 53 in 1983, which
climbed to 60 by 1990. |
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11-045 was a 1991 MCI Classic seen at Angrignon Station on Dec. 27, 2001. In 1991, the STCUM started numbering buses
from series 11 again, which was now open after the retirement of the original
11 series buses (1971 Flyer D700A buses).
The last MCI Classics were withdrawn from service in March 2011,
leaving only the NovaBus Classic prototype 12-099
in service until September 2011, when it too was retired. |
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13-052 was a 1993 NovaBus
Classic, spotted on rue Honoré-Beaugrand in eastern
Montreal on August 6, 2007. |
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13-065 is shown on lay-up at Radisson Station
with 17-151 in April 2001. This Nova
Classic was purchased in 1993, while the LFS was purchased in 1997. |
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13-073 was another 1993 Nova Classic, seen at
Guy-Concordia Station on Aug. 11, 2001. |
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13-076 is shown at Guy-Concordia Station in
September 2000. |
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13-099 was seen boarding passengers at Angrignon Station on June 6, 2003. |
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14-045 was spotted waiting for riders at
Côte-Vertu Station in Ville St-Laurent on August 3,
2009. |
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14-072 was a 1994 Nova Classic, shown stopped
during driver training at the Fairview terminal in Pointe-Claire on April 21,
2003. |
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14-087 was another 1994 Nova Classic, shown
at Guy-Concordia Station on Dec. 27, 2001.
The circle on the front lit up when this bus is in service, letting
riders know that the route is a special reserved-lane route. In this case, the bus was operating on
route 165 Côte-des-Neiges. |
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14-089 was spotted waiting for riders at Angrignon Station on June 6, 2003. |
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14-094 is seen boarding passengers at Angrignon Station on July 17, 2009. |
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14-108 was spotted on rue St-Urbain at Place d’Armes Station
on September 2, 2005. |
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14-136 is shown boarding passengers at Angrignon Station on June 6, 2003. |
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14-149 was spotted parked at the Legendre
garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. At the time, this was the last NovaBus Classic on STM property, after having been retired
in December 2011. |
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14-178 was seen at Angrignon
Station on Dec. 27, 2001. This bus was
also a 1994 Nova Classic. |
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15-091 was a 1995 Nova Classic, seen on boul.
René-Lévesque on May 22, 2002. |
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15-137 was another 1995 Classic, spotted on
rue Mansfield in downtown Montreal on August 3, 2009. The STM retired the last of its NovaBus Classics in December 2011 except for 15-140, the
last Classic received by the STCUM, which remained in service until August
2012 and was officially retired the following November. |
NovaBus LFS
16-004 was a 1995 NovaBus
LFS, spotted waiting for riders at Angrignon
Station on February 12, 2010. The
prototypes and earliest production LFS buses had a small oval cutout on the front, as shown in this photo. Only the first forty buses delivered to the
STCUM had this fascia. |
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16-004 was spotted again leaving Angrignon Station on February 12, 2010. Montreal was the
first transit system to purchase LFS buses and the first ten were delivered
in 1995. However, the buses were
numbered in the 16 series as the rest of the order for 180 vehicles was built
and received in 1996, and also because the 15 series had been used by Nova
Classic buses. |
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16-006 was another 1995 LFS, shown near Honoré-Beaugrand Metro Station on Aug. 6, 2007. |
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16-014 was a 1996 Nova LFS, shown on the
Ville-Marie Autoroute off ramp at rue St-Jacques on
August 3, 2009. |
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16-106 was another 1996 LFS, spotted at
Guy-Concordia Station in Sept. 2000.
This bus was not part of the first order and does not have the cutout seen on the front of 16-004. |
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16-113 was spotted at the Mont-Royal garage
during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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16-150 was seen at the Mont-Royal garage on
June 15, 2013. |
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17-091 was a 1997 Nova LFS, shown at
Guy-Concordia Station in Sept. 2000. |
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17-110 was another 1997 LFS, seen on boul.
René-Lévesque on May 22, 2002. This
bus had been marked with the new STM logos as seen under the driver’s side
window. |
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18-032 was spotted at Guy-Concordia Station
on Aug. 11, 2001. This bus is a 1998 Nova LFS. |
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21-221 is a 2001 NovaBus
LFS, seen parked at the Legendre garage during the BHA Convention on June 15,
2013. |
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21-226 is another 2001 LFS, spotted parked
with 31-135 at the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
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21-235 is shown on the hoist being serviced
at the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
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21-268 is shown at the Fairview terminal in
Pointe-Claire on April 21, 2003. These
second-generation LFS buses can be distinguished by the rounded corners on
the side windows and smaller windows on either side of the bus just behind
the windshield. In addition, the back
ends of the buses are mostly white and the rear route marker housing
protrudes slightly rather than being flush with the rest of the end cap. |
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22-270 is a 2002 Nova LFS, spotted on rue Guy
on August 3, 2009. |
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22-276 is another 2002 LFS, seen waiting
to enter service at Angrignon Station on June 6, 2003. |
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22-283 was spotted
parked inside the Legendre garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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22-300 is shown
parked outside the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013, |
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22-300 was seen
again at the Legendre garage later in the afternoon on June 15, 2013. |
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22-305 was spotted at Angrignon
Station on July 17, 2009. |
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22-331 is a 2002 Nova LFS. This photo was taken at the Fairview
terminal on April 21, 2003. |
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22-340 is waiting for passengers at the
Fairview terminal on April 21, 2003. |
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22-360 is shown parked at Honoré-Beaugrand
Station on Aug. 6, 2007. |
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24-224 is a 2004 NovaBus
LFS, shown parked at Henri-Bourassa Station with 21-204 on Sept. 2, 2005. |
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24-236 is another 2004 LFS, shown stopped on
boul. Henri-Bourassa on Sept. 2, 2005. |
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24-260 was spotted parked at Honoré-Beaugrand Station in eastern Montreal on Aug. 6,
2007. |
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24-268 is shown just after arriving at the
Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
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24-300 is also shown laying
up at Honoré-Beaugrand Metro Station on August 6,
2007. |
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25-208 is a 2005 NovaBus
LFS, seen waiting to resume service at Honoré-Beaugrand
Station on August 6, 2007. |
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25-236 is shown waiting to enter service on
rue Guy in downtown Montreal on August 3, 2009. |
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25-239 was spotted on rue Guy on August 3,
2009. |
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26-007 is a 2006 NovaBus
LFS, shown laying up at Terminus Fairview on August
4, 2008. |
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26-025 is shown on boul. des Trinitaires about to turn in Angrignon
Station on July 17, 2009. |
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26-045 is another 2006 Nova LFS, spotted on
rue Honoré-Beaugrand on August 6, 2007. |
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26-049 was seen entering the Fairview
terminal on August 4, 2008. |
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26-053 is another 2006 LFS, shown near Honoré-Beaugrand Metro Station on Aug. 6, 2007. |
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26-056 is shown entering the bus terminal at Honoré-Beaugrand Station on Aug. 6, 2007. |
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26-056 was spotted again on rue Honoré-Beaugrand on Aug. 6, 2007. |
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27-023 is a 2007 Nova LFS, seen waiting for
passengers on rue Berri near UQAM on Sept. 16,
2010. This bus is shown in a special
wrap for a tourist route serving Old Montreal and the Old Port. |
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27-028 is another 2007 LFS, shown on rue Sherbrooke Est boarding
passengers at Honoré-Beaugrand Station on Aug. 6,
2007. |
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27-028 was spotted again on rue du Havre at
Frontenac Station later in the day on Aug. 6, 2007. |
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27-028 is shown on rue Berri
near the Station Centrale bus terminal on Sept. 16,
2010. This bus is also wrapped in the
Old Montreal colour scheme. |
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27-502 is seen at Angrignon
Station on August 3, 2009. The 27-5xx
buses are equipped with clean-diesel Cummins engines. |
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27-529 is shown at the Fairview terminal on
August 4, 2008. |
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27-531 was spotted at Angrignon
Station on August 3, 2009. |
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28-002 is a 2008 Nova LFS, seen at
Guy-Concordia Station on February 2, 2008. |
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28-018 is another 2008 LFS, spotted on rue
St-Jacques on August 3, 2009. |
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28-035 was spotted boarding riders at Angrignon Station on July 17, 2009. |
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28-071 is seen on boul. Côte-Vertu, about to turn into the Metro station on August 3,
2009. |
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28-093 is shown boarding passengers at Côte-Vertu Station on August 3, 2009. |
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28-115 is seen unloading passengers at Angrignon Station on July 17, 2009. |
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28-119 was spotted resting on rue Guy on
August 3, 2009. |
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28-121 is shown laying
up at Angrignon Station on July 17, 2009. |
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28-705 is a 2008 NovaBus
LFS HEV, one of eight acquired that year by the STM, spotted at Angrignon Station on February 12, 2010. Unlike the STO hybrid buses, these buses
are equipped with the standard headlamps used on Quebec LFS buses. |
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28-708 is another LFS hybrid, shown at Angrignon Station on August 4, 2008. |
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29-010 is a 2009 NovaBus
LFS, spotted at the Mont-Royal garage on June 15, 2013. |
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29-013 is another 2009 Nova LFS, seen loading
passengers at Guy-Concordia Station on August 3, 2009. This was the first year that the STM
purchased buses with the wheelchair ramps at the front door, and the doors
are much wider as a result. Also, the
doors feature a 1/3-2/3 design, allowing the driver to open only the wider
section for normal passenger boarding, or both sections for heavy volumes or
to allow a wheelchair to board. These
buses are also the first to be painted in the new blue and white livery, with
much more blue at the front end of the bus and a large white area toward the rear
to make room for the addition of the large decals which would be later added
to the buses. |
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29-041 is another 2009 LFS, seen on rue Guy
near Guy-Concordia Station on August 3, 2009.
This bus has recently had yellow, green and blue chevrons applied to
the rear section of the bus which, when combined with the new blue scheme
ordered on the 2009 and later buses, completes the new “Mouvement
Collectif” livery used by the STM. |
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29-063 is shown boarding riders at
Guy-Concordia Station on August 3, 2009. |
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29-067 was spotted waiting to enter service
on rue Guy on August 3, 2009. |
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29-078 is a 2009 third-generation NovaBus LFS, seen laying up at Angrignon Station on February 12, 2010. This bus is also in the “Mouvement Collectif” colour
scheme. |
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29-078 was spotted again waiting for riders
at Angrignon Station on February 12, 2010. In addition to the changes made to the
earlier 2009 buses, these buses feature a heavily redesigned rear end cap
with a full-width window and the radiator in a new housing on top of the
bus. The front end has also been
redesigned, with the headlamps spaced farther apart to make room for an
optional bicycle rack. |
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29-091 is seen waiting for passengers at Angrignon Station on August 6, 2012. |
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29-112 is shown at Angrignon
Station on July 17, 2009. Montreal was
the first city to receive the 3rd-generation LFS buses. |
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29-112 was spotted turning from rue de la Montagne onto boul. René-Lévesque on August 6, 2012. |
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29-116 is seen resting at Angrignon
Station on August 6, 2012. |
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29-119 is shown on rue St-Jacques near rue
Mansfield on August 6, 2012. |
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29-143 is seen at waiting for riders at Angrignon Station on February 12, 2010. |
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29-151 is a 2009 Nova LFS, spotted turning
from boul. de Maisonneuve to rue Berri on Sept. 16, 2010.
This bus is in a special livery for an airport shuttle linking the
Station Centrale bus terminal to Pierre Elliot
Trudeau Airport in Dorval, and these buses feature luggage racks at the front
of the bus. |
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29-153 is another airport shuttle LFS, seen
resting at the Station Central bus terminal on Sept. 16, 2010. As of July 2011, eight 2009 buses and eight
2011 buses are being used for the shuttle service. |
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29-155 is shown waiting for riders at the
Station Centrale bus terminal on Sept. 16,
2010. This photo clearly shows the
special aeroplane chevron used on the airport shuttle buses, compared with
the chevrons used on the regular buses such as 29-112. |
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30-021 is a 2010 NovaBus
LFS, seen waiting to resume service on rue Guy at Guy-Concordia Station on
August 6, 2012. |
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30-025 is another 2010 LFS, spotted waiting
for passengers at Angignon Station on August 6,
2012. |
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30-040 is seen operating as an airport
shuttle on Sept. 16, 2010. Because the
demand for the shuttle occasionally exceeds the capacity of the sixteen
shuttle buses, regular LFS buses are sometimes used on the airport route. |
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30-048 was spotted parked at the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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30-057 is shown resting on rue de la Montagne on August 6, 2012. |
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30-068 is seen arriving at the Mont-Royal
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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30-082 is shown resting at the Mont-Royal
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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31-003 is a 2011 Nova LFS, spotted on boul.
René-Lévesque on August 6, 2012. The
eight 2011 buses used for the airport shuttle are equipped with air
conditioning to test its practicality in Montreal, the first STM NovaBus vehicles to be air conditioned. |
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31-006 is another 2011 LFS airport shuttle
bus, seen on boul. René-Lévesque on August 6, 2012. |
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31-115 is a 2011 LFS used in regular service,
and is shown parked inside the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
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31-125 is seen parked outside the Legendre
garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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31-127 is shown parked at the Legendre garage
on June 15, 2013. |
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31-131 was spotted on the hoist being
serviced at the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
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31-133 is seen parked at the Legendre garage
on June 15, 2013. |
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31-136 is shown parked at the Legendre garage
on June 15, 2013. |
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31-141 was spotted parked inside the Legendre
garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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31-155 is shown on rue Metcalfe near
Dorchester Square during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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31-181 is 2011 LFS used for regular service,
shown on boul. René-Lévesque on August 6, 2012. |
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31-182 was spotted near Dorchester Square in
downtown Montreal on June 15, 2013. |
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31-205 is shown parked inside the Legendre
garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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31-206 is seen inside the Legendre garage on
June 15, 2013. |
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31-217
was spotted parked outside the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
NovaBus LFS Artic
29-801 is a 2009 NovaBus
LFS Artic, seen on the hoist being serviced at the
Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. The
STM received the first articulated LFS buses delivered to any transit system,
with the first bus entering service in September 2009. Other cities using the LFS Artic include New York, Quebec City, Halifax and Toronto. |
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29-810 is another 2009 LFS Artic, shown in one of the service bays at the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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29-816 is shown on Guy Street in downtown
Montreal on August 6, 2012. |
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29-825 is seen parked inside the Legendre
garage during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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29-829 was spotted on Avenue des Pins near
boul. Saint-Laurent on Sept. 10, 2011. |
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29-835 is seen inside the Legendre garage on
June 15, 2013. |
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29-839 is shown picking up passengers at
Henri-Bourassa Metro Station on February 12, 2010. |
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29-840 was spotted outside the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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29-843 is shown inside one of the service
bays in the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013. |
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29-844 was seen on boul. Henri-Bourassa on
February 12, 2010. |
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29-844 was spotted again on boul.
Henri-Bourassa near boul. Papineau on February 12,
2010. |
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29-850 is shown on boul. Henri-Bourassa at
rue Berri on February 12, 2010. |
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29-853 is seen boarding passengers at
Henri-Bourassa Station on February 12, 2010. |
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29-857 was spotted inside the Legendre garage
on June 15, 2013. |
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30-804 is a 2010 NovaBus
LFS Artic, shown parked inside the Legendre garage
on June 15, 2013. |
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30-808 is another 2010 LFS Artic, seen parked outside the Legendre garage on June
15, 2013. |
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30-834 is shown on rue Guy at Guy-Concordia
Station on August 6, 2012. |
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30-842 was seen outside the Legendre garage
during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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30-851 is shown parked inside the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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30-853 was spotted after apparently having
triggered its emergency alert system.
This photo was taken during the Legendre garage tour that was part of
the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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30-875 is seen parked inside the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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30-882 was spotted parked outside the
Legendre garage with 31-125 on June 15, 2013. |
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31-837 is seen waiting to resume service on
rue Guy on August 6, 2012. |
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31-845 is shown boarding passengers at
Guy-Concordia Station on August 6, 2012. |
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31-855 was seen loading riders at
Guy-Concordia Metro Station on August 6, 2012. |
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31-858 was spotted parked inside the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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31-860 is shown parked outside the Legendre
garage on June 15, 2013. |
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32-803 is a 2012 NovaBus
LFS Artic, seen parked inside the Legendre garage
during the BHA Convention on June 15, 2013. |
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32-807 is another 2012 LFS, spotted parked in
the Legendre garage on June 15, 2013.
The STM has placed several orders for these articulated buses,
purchasing 58 in 2009, 82 in 2010, 62 in 2011, 10 in 2012 and 45 in 2013. |