The arrival of projects identified as “structuring” like the REM is not a bad idea in itself. Who would be against the virtue of promoting public transportation? The questioning that we must address is rather in terms of solutions and the concrete integration of these so-called solutions.
When we think of public transport, an image of a bus or metro comes to mind for a large part of the population, but if I ask my children, they tell me about electric scooters and autonomous vehicles. It is this paradigm that we must change, we must review our ways of doing things… and now!
If we start thinking by taking the example of REM, we can all agree that it is an excellent backbone, a foundation. If I don’t live in the territory covered by the ride, am I really excited about its arrival?
On the contrary, if I come from Estrie, I will lose my reserved lane and I will be asked to pay an additional rate to make a mode transfer to the city center. If I leave Châteauguay, on the South-West Shore, how do I get to the REM? There is no connection between the city and the REM station in Brossard. You get the picture!
We need adequate frequency, a mode of transport that matches our needs and flexibility that meets the journeys we need to make, not just an hourly bus to the suburbs or regions during the day.
If we have learned anything in recent years, it is that it is high time to define what traffic is, the times of congestion and the means to take to quickly put into practice the most options possible to avoid driving alone. It’s time to go further than a nice report or a consultation.
Any transport project must meet the different needs of the population, not the key performance indicators of decision-makers. It’s not rocket science, the more citizens have easy access to different modes of transport, the more they will be ready to use the service offer. The leaders of the various transportation agencies are currently planning, but putting aside the implementation.
Is it a lack of coordination among managers, a lack of knowledge of available solutions or even a stubbornness in wanting to do everything differently? The question is asked and unfortunately, we do not get the answers we want… much less the projects that would make a difference.
Current citizens and new generations want more and now! If we really want to change paradigms, large structuring projects are not the only solution. Accessibility must involve several elements, whether it is the time that suits us, the ability to book according to our technological means or simply obvious and understandable payment.
Without wanting to put aside the other elements, payment is an important basis to consider. Having traveled to several countries, I use public transport on my trips when it is understandable and clear, without having to pay for an agency card. It won’t take 10 years to implement!
It is possible to look for solutions now available on the market, to open up to what is being done elsewhere. Let’s stop wanting to constantly reinvent the wheel, spending money on developing business solutions that could quickly work.
The last few years spent in the world of transport have opened my eyes to the different possibilities in this sector. However, I believe that the population of Quebec must learn more about the different innovations available around the world.
It is essential to think about tomorrow, about the position that the province wants to take in terms of transportation and GHG reduction. It is time to look elsewhere so that we can educate ourselves to make the right decisions.
Unfortunately, I have not yet had the chance to see people emerge who will take charge of the real integrated mobility of tomorrow and offer an integrated and coherent transport proposal for the population.