All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

by David A. Wyatt

Banlieues de Montréal, Québec

For communities on the Island of Montreal see Montréal. See also separate entries Laval (Île-Jésus) and Longueuil (Rive-Sud de Montréal).

Montreal & Southern Counties Interurban

Montreal and Southern Counties Railway Company (01 November 1909 - 13 October 1956)
Incorporated 29 June 1897 (Dom.) by Montreal Park and Island Railway Company interests. Acquired Montreal & South Shore Auto Car Company (operating between Montréal and Saint-Lambert) 1905. Construction financing arrangements resulted in control passing to the Grand Trunk Railway circa 1906 and at the latter's bankruptcy, the M&SC became a part of Canadian National Railways, in 1920. Formal opening ceremonies held 30 October 1909 (RFC). Suburban service from Montréal to Saint-Lambert, Montreal South, Longueuil, Greenfield Park, Mackayville, and Brookline. Interurban service to Chambly, Richelieu, Marieville, Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Saint-Césaire, Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford, and Granby. (Photo courtesy Mike Rivest)

Montréal Region Commuter Rail

Commuter rail service in Canada has existed almost as long as there have been passenger railways, but the operation of rail commuter services by a transit agency in the Montréal region dates only from 1982.

Exactly when a train is a commuter train is open to debate. The selections below are based on meeting three criteria:

operation at least Monday through Friday,
scheduled to arrive downtown just before the start of the workday and with a return trip departing just after the workday, and
a one-way trip time of approximately 90 minutes or less.

With this criteria several commuter train services can be identified from CN and CP timetables in the late 1950s and late 1960s. This is supplemented by additional sources but cannot be considered complete.

Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada (? - 1923)
Canadian Northern Railway Company (1918 - 1918)
Canadian National Railways (1918 - 09 September 1988)

Waterloo - Granby - Montréal and Farnham - Granby
(76 km to Granby, 97.6 km to Waterloo, 23.5 km Granby to Farnham). Service from Central Station to Marieville, Granby, and Waterloo begun 25 November 1951 to replace discontinued Montreal & Southern Counties interurbans (Clegg & Lavallee). The CN national system time tables for Winter 1956/57 refers readers to “see Suburban Folder 'S'”.
Ste. Rosalie Jct - St. Hyacinthe - St. Hilaire - Montréal
(56.8 km, 87-95 min.). The 1882 GTR schedule was for a 85 minute run from St. Hyacinthe and arrival in Montréal at 8:50am, with an evening departure outbound at 5:10pm (Smith 1988). GTR acquired by Canadian Government Railways 1920 and transfered to CN 1923. By 1956 service was daily except Sunday arrival at Central Station at 8:20am, with return departure at 5:20pm (CN 1956/57). By Winter 1966/67 the service is shortened to Saint-Hyacinthe (53.4 km, 75-85 min.) with morning arrival at Central Station at 8:15am and evening departure at 5:20pm (CN 1966/67). Cut back to Saint-Hilaire (33.3 km) in 1968, this was the last commuter rail services operated by a railway (as opposed to a transit agency) in the Montréal region, ending 09 September 1988. Trains called at Montréal (Central Station), Saint-Lambert, Saint-Hubert, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Saint-Basil-le-Grand, Beloeil, Otterburn Park, Saint-Hilaire, and Saint-Hilaire Est (Smith 1988, CN timetable 03 February 1980/Tom Box 1996).
Montréal-Nord - Ahuntsic - Montréal
(17.1 km, 38 min. to Montréal-Nord, 11.8 km, 20-23 min. to Ahuntsic). Daily except Sunday service arriving at Central Station at 8:18am. Outbound departure from Central at 5:30pm, with additional short run to Ahuntsic departing (daily except Saturday) at 5:55pm (CN 1956/57). This commuter service was begin in 1945 (or 1946, sources differ), and ended in 08 November 1968 (Harry Dodsworth, Tom Box, Cartwright).
St. Eustache (Deux-Montagnes) - Montréal
(27.2 km). Canadian Northern Railway Company constructed a railway tunnel beneath Mount Royal, opening in 1918 with commuter service as far as Lazard. Successor CN extended service to Cartierville in 1921 and St. Eustache-sur-le-lac in 1925. This service continued up through administrative takeover by CTCUM 1982. A branch to Cartierville (originally the main line), and a summer-only extension to Calumet Beach were also operated. The Cartierville branch closed in 1982 (Tom Box).
Vaudreuil - Dorval - Montréal
(41.6 km to Vaudreuil, 19 km to Dorval). The “CN Lakeshore West” line. Service cut back to Dorval in 1958 and ended completely in 1960 (Harry Dodsworth).

Canadian Pacific Railway Company (1887? - 01 October 1982)

Ste. Thérèse - Montréal
(41.0 km, 41-60 min.). Weekday morning arrival at Windsor Station in downtown Montréal at 8:20am, with evening departure at 5:11pm (Friday train continues on to Ste. Agathe). Additional daily departure at 5:35pm (CP 1957/58). Service pattern supplemented by several long-distance trains over the same route (CP 1957/58).
The 1907 CPR timetable shows Ste. Thérèse Junction (32 km and 47-56 minutes from Montréal's Place Viger station) at the focal point of three commuter feeder lines: Saint-Jérôme (22 km further, 85 min. in all), St. Lin (27 km further, 105 min. total), and Ste. Eustache (10 km further, 80-85 min. total) (CPR 1907).
Rigaud - Vaudreuil (Dorion) - Montréal
(64.3 km to Rigaud, 37.9 km to Vaudreuil). The “CP Lakeshore West” line. Line opened in 1887. Commuter service by CP continued up through administrative takeover by CTCUM 01 October 1982.
Farnham - Montréal
(69.1 km, 70 min.). Weekday morning arrival at Windsor Station at 7:50am, with homebound departure at 5:40pm (CP 1968/69). Service cancelled 1980 or 1981 (Tom Box, Mark Brader).

New York Central Railroad Company (1890s? - 24 October 1958)

Montréal - Valleyfield [Salaberry-de-Valleyfield]
(56 km and 70-75 min.). Weekday arrival at Windsor station 8:25am with departure at 5:10pm with intermediate stops at Châteauguay, and Beauharnois. Three additional weekdaily round trips and one pair of long-distance trains provided additional frequency. (1909 NYC timetable).
The NYC 1952 timetable includes a pair of trains via Valleyfield between Montréal and Malone, NY, (106 km and 140 min.) scheduled for commuting (1952 NYC timetable). (Mike Rivest, Andrew Dawson, Pierre Barrieau).

Commuter trains as an operation of a public transit agency began in 1982.

Commission de transport de la communaute urbaine de Montréal (01 July 1982 - 19 June 1985)
General urban transit operator for Montréal. Assumed responsibility for two commuter rail lines operated by railways.
Montréal - Deux-Montagnes. Assumed responsibility for the Deux-Montagnes electric line from CN Rail 01 July 1982. Line reaches downtown Montréal via the Mount Royal Tunnel.
Montréal - Dorion - Rigaud. Assumed the Rigaud line from CP Rail 01 October 1982 (Tom Box 1996).

Société de transport de la communaute urbaine de Montréal (19 June 1985 - 31 December 1995)
STCUM is the general Montréal transit operator. Two commuter lines, the former CP Rail line from Windsor Station to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Île-Perrot, Dorion (Vaudreuil), Hudson, and Rigaud, and the former CN Rail electrified line to western Laval and Deux-Montagnes.

Montréal (métro Du College) - Ahuntsic - Pointe-aux-Trembles - Repentigny. Called Métropolitrain. Temporary commuter train service operated on CN track 15 May 1990 - 12 October 1990, organized by STCUM (Wikipedia).

l'Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (01 January 1996 - 31 May 2017)
Assumed administrative and financial responsibility for commuter rail services from STCUM. Subsequently grown the commuter rail network around the city to six lines. Service to Rigaud discontinued 30 June 2010. One daily round trip reaches Hudson but most trains originate/terminate at Vaudreuil. (website).

Montréal - Blainville - Saint-Jérôme. August 1997 commenced commuter rail on a third line as a pilot project, serving Montréal: Jean-Talon (métro Parc), Montréal: Henri-Bourassa, Laval: Saint-Martin, Laval: Sainte-Rose, Rosemère, Sainte-Thérèse, and Blainville. This line has become permanent, extended to the city centre c1999, and was extended 08 January 2007 from Blainville to Saint-Jérôme.
Montréal - McMasterville - Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Service on a fourth line was begun June 2001 to McMasterville via Saint-Bruno and Saint-Lambert, over the line serviced by CN Rail until 1988. Trains extended (date?) from McMasterville to Mont-Saint-Hilaire.
Montréal - Delson - Candiac. A fifth line, serving Delson, Saint-Constant, Sainte-Catherine, and LaSalle commenced 04 September 2001 (AMT press release). Service extended beyond Delson to Candiac 2005.
Montréal - Montréal-Nord - Anjou - Repentigny - Mascouche. Sixth line opened 01 December 2014. First line to use dual-mode electric/diesel-electric locomotives. Line accesses downtown Montréal via Mount Royal Tunnel.
AMT amalgamated with several CIT operations to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Wikipedia, Tom Box, AMT website, Photos: Marc Dufour)

AMT logo	Vehicle fleet	10 locomotives, 105 rail coaches, 58 electric multiple units
AMT logo	Data source:	CTHF/SSG 2000 Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Note

Via Rail Canada, Inc. provides commuter-friendly train schedules, and sells monthly commuter passes, for its train services between Drummondville and Montréal, and between Alexandria, Ontario, and Montréal. Commuters depart Drummondville at 7:18AM arriving at Montréal at 8:23AM, and return departing Montréal at 6:15PM arriving Alexandria 7:50PM. Commuters depart Alexandria at 7:13AM arriving at Montréal at 8:23AM, and return departing Montréal at 5:05PM arriving Alexandria 6:10PM. (CPTdb and Via, 2015).

Bus Systems

Independent Suburban Bus Era

Before Provincial Transport Company purchased nearly every bus operation entering Montréal in June 1929, there were many independent bus lines between the city and its outlying suburbs. Below is a partial list, compiled from just two enumerations published in Canadian Railway & Marine World in 1927 and 1928. Most were single-bus, single owner/operator enterprises, and few if any offered service frequencies resembling transit operations. These bus services generally shut down for the winter (late November to about March).

A. St. Onge (1920's)
Montréal - Huntingdon. Based in Ormstown, 1 bus (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

A. Marion (1920's)
Montréal - Rawdon. Based in St. Jacques l'Achigan, 1 bus (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

National Autobus Co. (1920's)
Montréal - Rawdon. Based in Montréal (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

T. Bienvenu (1920's)
Montréal - St. Antoine. Based in St. Marc (Vercheres County), 1 bus (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

E. Labelle (1920's)
Montréal - St. Eustache and Oka. Based in Belanger Village (Laval County), 7 buses (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

A. Beaudin (1920's)
Montréal - St. Jacques le Mineur. Based in St. Jacques le Mineur, 1 bus (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

A. Gravel (1920's)
Montréal - St. Jean d'Iberville. Based in Montréal, 2 buses (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

H. Hamel (1920's)
Montréal - St. Jérôme. Based in Pont Viau, 5 buses (CR&MW January 1927, p. 48, April 1928, pp. 231-232).

O. LeBlanc (1920's)
Montréal (Mile End) - St. Placide. Based in St. Placide, 2 buses (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

Tremblay Autobus Co. (1920's)
la Compagnie d'Autobus Tremblay Ltd. Montréal - Ste. Rose [future Laval]. Based in Ste. Rose, 6 buses (CR&MW January 1927, p. 48). Added three more buses and Montréal (Mile End) - Lachute route (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

Regent Taxi and Transport Co. (1920's)
Montréal - Terrebonne. Based in Terrebonne, 7 buses (CR&MW January 1927, p. 48 and April 1928, pp. 231-232).

J. Charbonneau (1920's)
Montréal (Mile End) - Terrebonne. Based in Terrebonne, 2 buses (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

J.A. Legault (1920's)
Montréal - Valleyfield. Based in Beauharnois, 3 buses (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

Town of Isle Cadieux (1920's?)
Isle Cadieaux - St. Michel de Vaudreuil. Municipal operation, 1 bus (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

J.O. Desmarais (1920's)
Vercheres - Montréal. Based in Vercheres, 3 buses (CR&MW April 1928, pp. 231-232).

Provincial Transport Company Era

Bus transport ranging from once per week service to levels approaching transit frequencies have been operated for many years between Montréal and outlying communities. The operation of these services was undertaken in many cases by private carriers although area municipal system also operated some services. Among the enterprises operating these services were:

Provincial Transport Company or la compagnie de Transport-Provincial (circa June 1929 - 1964)
Incorporated November 1928 and acquired 31 bus lines in the Montréal area in June 1929 (Latour). Affiliated with the Montreal Tramways Company until 1948. (CR&MW 1931). Operations by this company included intercity bus service throughout Québec and transit operations (through subsidiaries) in Sherbrooke, Québec City, Kingston and elsewhere. In 1964 Banlieues de Montréal services were spun off to new subsidiary Met.-Prov. (image courtesy Mike Rivest, photos: William A. Luke)

Provincial Transport Co. 4004 [GM old look] (William A. Luke)

Provincial Transport Co. 5137 [CanCar] (William A. Luke)

PTC logo 1930

Data source:

Rivest 1998 (logo)

les Autobus Jeromiens, Ltd. (1945 - 1975)
Operating transit service in the Saint-Jérôme area (Luke & Metler, p. 67).

Metropolitain-Provincial Inc. (1964 - 1967)
Services to the north were spun off to PTCo subsidiary Mille-Iles in 1966. Services to the south were likewise spun off to Met.-Sud in 1967. PTCo remained the parent company of the three units and was reorganized as the holding company Provincial Transport Enterprises 01 February 1968 (Latour). (photo: William A. Luke).

Met.-Prov. logo circa 1965

Data source:

Rivest 1998 (logo)

Autobus Mille-Iles Ltée (October 1966 - 1971)
Serving suburbs to the north, northwest and northeast, including Duvernay Nord, Lac L'Achigan, Lac Simon, Laval Ouest, Mascouche, Oka, St. Donat, Ste. Dorothée, Ste. Scholastique (now Mirabel), Ste. Therèse, Ste. Therèse Ouest, St. François, St. François Jct., Saint-Jérôme, St. Vincent-de-Paul, and Terrebonne (Scrafton et al. 1970). Acquired by Commission de transport de la ville de Laval 1971.

Metropolitain-Sud Incorporated (April 1967 - 1978)
Serving suburbs to the south and east, including Cowansville, La Prairie, Marieville, Otterburn Park, Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, St. Hyacinthe, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (alias St. Jean-d'Iberville), St. Remi, and Sorel (Scrafton et al. 1970). Met.-Sud acquired Autobus de la Rive Sud operating between Montréal and Sorel in 1972 (Canadian Coach 1972). Met.-Sud acquired by Commission de transport de la Rive-Sud de Montréal in 1978. (photo busfanplace.com).

Metropolitain-Provincial (1967) Ltee (1967 - November 1980)
Serving suburbs to the south and south-west, including Beauharnois, Cazaville, Châteauguay, Covey Hill, Franklin Centre, Huntingdon, Ile Perrot Village, Plage Windsor, Rivière Beaudette, Rigaud, St. Alexis, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis-de-Gonzague, St. Remi, (Salaberry-de-)Valleyfield, and Vaudreuil (Dorion). Also points north: Joliette, Berthierville, and St. Barthélémy (Scrafton et al. 1970).

Met.-Prov. logo 1970s

Data source:

Rivest 1998 (logo)

Autobus Roland Inc. (1970s?)
Service to St.-Jérôme, Bellefeuille, St.-Antoine, and Lafontaine (Transit Canada 1976).

Mét.-Prov. was acquired in November 1980 by the Commission de transport de la communaute urbaine de Montréal (Montréal city system). After protests from municipalities over CTCUM service and charges, the city system discontinued runs to 43 of 62 communities 01 January 1984. Some of these services were taken over by a variety of private enterprise carriers, such as Brandon Transport Inc. and Autobus Deshaies Ltée, while others simply ceased.

CIT Era
Québec legislation in late 1983 allowed the establishment of local Conseils intermunicipaux de transport [Intermunicipal transport boards] with the authority to contract for bus service with either of the three public operators (Montréal, Rive-Sud or Laval) or private carriers (bus or taxi). The situation has remained fluid in the period since then, with CITs forming, disbanding, changing composition, and switching contractors.
By February 1986, 21 such CITs had been established. Nine had contracted with the one of the three city systems, the rest with private operators. By 1998 nineteen or twenty CIT and OMIT (municipal) systems were operating in the exurban Montréal area.
AMT, the commuter rail operator, has also from time to time contracted for the operation of commuter bus services.
In April 2015 the government of Québec announced plans to re-organize suburban transit operations in the greater Montréal region. The region's CITs would be amalgamated with the train operations of AMT to form the Réseau de transport métropolitain while the regional planning functions of AMT and the three city systems (STM [Montréal], STVL [Laval] and RTL [Longueuil]) would be combined into a new entity to be called Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain.

l'Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (? - 31 May 2017)
In addition to train operations (see above), AMT has contracted to operate a small number of commuter bus services. The Line 90 - Express Chevrier is operated for AMT by contractor Réseau de transport de Longueuil. Formerly the Line 902 Express was operated for AMT by contractor Société de transport de la ville de Laval. A previous attempt to introduce AMT bus services was cancelled in 2008 before it launched. AMT amalgamated with several CIT operations to form RTM June 2017 (see below).

Conseil intermunicipal de transport du Sud-Ouest (1984? - 31 May 2017)
Serving Châteauguay, Léry, Maple Grove, Beauharnois, Melocheville, Saint-Timothée and (Salaberry-de-)Valleyfield. Contractor Autobus Auger assumed the Valleyfield line from CTCUM November 1984, and the Châteauguay lines (from ?) 01 January 1985 (Rivest, Transit News Canada 1988). Division of Auger in 1991 leaves Châteauguay services operated by Autobus Auger Métropolitain while Valleyfield line operated by Corporation National de Autobus (Rivest). N de A contracted 01 August 1997 for operation of the Châteauguay and Valleyfield lines (MR 1997). By 2006 service area included Beauharnois, Châteauguay, Kanawake, Léry, and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. Operated under contract by Transdev (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (pb91, Tom Box 1996, Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photo courtesy Mike Rivest)

CIT logo Vehicle fleet 24 buses

Data source: CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10.
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

CIT Haut-Saint-Laurent (? - 31 May 2017)
Serving Huntingdon and Ormstown (Tom Box 1996). Operator in 1998 was Dufresne (Jacques Matte 1998). By 2006 service area included Godmanchester, Howick, Huntingdon, Mercier, Ormstown, Sainte-Martine, and Très-Saint-Sacrement. Contract operator Autobus Dufresne Inc. (Jean Breton 2009). From 01 March 2015 service to Huntingdon and Godmanchester was discontinued. Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Jacques Matte/PD 1998)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	5 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil Intermunicipal de Transport Roussillon (1984 - 31 May 2017)
Serving Saint-Constant, Delson and Sainte-Catharine (Tom Box 1996, AMT website 2006). Contract operator Autobus Monette circa early 1990s and 1998 (Tom Box 1996, Jacques Matte 1998). About October 2000 Monette was bought out by Limocar (MR). Contractor 2003 - 15 July 2008 was Transport en commun La Québécoise inc. Contractor 16 July 2008 - 15 July 2018 is Transdev Limocar. Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photos Jacques Matte)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	10 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport le Richelain (? - 31 May 2017)
Serving Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, La Prairie, Candiac, Saint-Phillippe, and Saint-Mathieu. Connection to downtown Montréal (STRSM terminal) (Tom Box 1996). Buses additionally lettered Autobus Municipal Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu and operated by les Autobus Boulais Ltée (Bus World Vol. 14, No. 2, Winter 1991-92, RS) [see below]. Contract operator from 1990 was Transport en commun La Québécoise inc. (Tom Box 1996, MR 1998). Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu and Saint-Luc separated from the CIT in late 1997 (MR 1998). By 2006 service area included Candiac, La Prairie, and Saint-Philippe. Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Transit News Canada 1988, Jacques Matte/PD 1998). (photo Jacques Matte)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	19 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	Jacques Matte 1998 Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport d'Iberville (? - 01 February 1988?)
Serving Iberville. Contractor Autobus Ménard halted all service 01 February 1988 when area municipalities failed to pay their bills (Transit News Canada 1988).

CIT Chambly - Richelieu - Carignan (? - 31 May 2017)
Serving Richelieu, Chambly and Carignan (Tom Box 1996). Contract operator in 1998 was Groupe Viens (Jacques Matte 1998). Absorbed CIT Rouville by 2006. As of 2006 service area includes Carignan, Chambly, Marieville, Richelieu, and Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu. Contract operator Veolia Transport Inc. (Jean Breton 2009). Operated under contract by Transdev (Street Side Guide 2015). Adopted circa 2014 the brand name Blus (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Jacques Matte/PD 1998)

CIT logo c1998 (above) CIT logo c2006	Blus logo 2015	Vehicle fleet	10 buses
		Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo) AMT website 2006 (logo) Blus website 2015 (logo)

CIT Rouville (? - circa 2005?)
Serving Marieville (Tom Box 1996). (Not in CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997 or Jacques Matte/PD 1998). Operator Autobus Viens (Jacques Matte/JB 1998). Merged with CIT Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan before 2006 (AMT website 2006).

OMIT St-Bruno-de-Montarville (? - circa 2005?)
Municipally operated (or contracted) suburban service between Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville and Longueuil and (in rush hour) Montréal (Tom Box 1996). Operator Groupe Viens (Jacques Matte 1998). Municipality amalgamated with others to form Longueuil but transit services merged with CIT Vallée du Richelieu. (Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photo Jacques Matte)

Saint-Bruno logo Vehicle fleet 13 buses

Data source: CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10.
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport de la Vallée du Richelieu (? - 31 May 2017)
Serving Saint-Hyacinthe, Beloeil, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Otterburn Park, and Saint-Basil-le-Grand. Connection to STRSM (South Shore system) at Longueuil métro station, and at peak hours into downtown Montréal (Tom Box 1996). Contracted to STRSM (Transit News Canada 1988). CIT services contracted to three bus operators (Jacques Matte 1998). [1] Contract operator in 1996 and 1998 for CITVR was Limocar de la Vallée [du Richelieu] (Tom Box 1996, Jacques Matte 1998). [2] Leo Beauregard et Fils Ltée serving Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Otterburn Park, connecting with Limocar services at Beloeil (RS for circa 1994, Jacques Matte 1998). [3] Robert providing local service in Beloeil/McMasterville and part of Saint-Basil-le-Grand, connecting with Limocar at Saint-Basil (JB/Jacques Matte 1998). Assumed service in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville from municipality circa 2005?. By 2006 service are included Beloeil, McMasterville, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Otterburn Park, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville (district of the city of Longueuil), Saint-Hyacinthe, Sainte-Madeleine, and Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. Operated under contract by Transdev (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (pb89, pb91, Jacques Matte/PD 1998). (photo Jacques Matte)

CIT logo c1998 (above)

CIT logo c2006
Vehicle fleet 34 buses

Data source: CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10.
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)
AMT website 2006 (logo)

Ville de Sainte-Julie (? - 31 May 2017)
Municipally operated (or contracted) suburban service between Sainte-Julie and Longueuil or Montréal (email 1996). Operator Odyssee (Jacques Matte 1998). Jacques Matte/PD 1998 lists OMIT de Sainte-Julie. Operated under contract by Transdev (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Photo: Richard Hooles).

Saint-Julie logo	Vehicle fleet	8 buses
Saint-Julie logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Ville de Saint-Amable (? - ?17 August 1998)
Municipally operated (or contracted) bus service. Service taken over by CIT Sorel-Varennes 1998 (MR 1998).

Vehicle fleet 1 bus

Data source: CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10.

Conseil intermunicipal de transport de Sorel - Varennes (1984? - 31 May 2017)
Service linking Sorel, Varennes and intermediate points with Montréal (or Longueuil?). Operated by Autobus Deshaies Ltée 1984 - 1988 (Jean Breton 2009, Transit News Canada 1986, 1987). Contract awarded to Autobus Leo Auger Inc. 12 December 1988. Contract operator from 1992 was Transport en commun La Québécoise inc. Absorbed Saint-Amable service 1998 (MR 1998). By 2006 service area was Contrecoeur, Saint-Amable, Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, Sorel-Tracy, Varennes, and Verchères. Operated under contract by Groupe Transbus (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Jean Breton 2009, Jacques Matte 1998, Tom Box 1996, photo Jacques Matte).

CIT logo c1998 (above)

CIT logo c2006 Vehicle fleet 10 buses

Data source: CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10.
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)
AMT website 2006 (logo)

Autobus municipal de Repentigny (? - circa 2005?)
Municipally operated (or contracted) service between Repentigny and Montréal. The 1996 telephone directory lists a Lanau-Bus Inc. under "transports en commun" which makes it a likely candidate as the contract operator (pb96). Jacques Matte/PD 1998 lists OMIT de Repentigny. Lanau-Bus a part of Groupe Gaudreault (Jacques Matte 1998). By 2006 service area included in CRT Lanaudière (AMT website 2006). (Jacques Matte 1997) (photo courtesy Mike Rivest)

system logo	Vehicle fleet	7 buses
system logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport le Portage (? - circa 2005?)
Serving the Joliette - Montréal corridor. Operated by Autobus Deshaies Ltée (Transit News Canada 1986). When Deshaies began to wind down, the contract was awarded to Brandon Transport Inc. 17 October 1988 (Transit News Canada 1988). BT the contractor in 1996 and 1998 (Tom Box 1996, Jacques Matte 1998). Buses connect with Montréal city system at Radisson métro station (Tom Box 1996). By 2006 service was provided by CRT Lanaudière (AMT website 2006). (Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photo Jacques Matte)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	5 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Corporation intermunicipale de transport des Moulins (? - circa 2005?)
(RS). Serving Mascouche, Mascouche Heights, and Terrebonne (RS). Operator in 1998 was Termont (Jacques Matte 1998). Service under the umbrella of CRT Lanaudière by 2006 (AMT website 2006). (Tom Box 1996, Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photo G. Donnelly)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	16 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

CIT Montcalm (? - circa 2005?)
Serving Rawdon north of Montréal (Tom Box 1996). Operator in 1998 was Groupe Gaudreault (Jacques Matte 1998). Service provided by CRT Lanaudière by 2006 (AMT website 2006). (Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photo courtesy Mike Rivest)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	2 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil régional de transport de Lanaudière (circa 2005 - 31 May 2017)
Amalgamation of services previously provided by CIT le Portage, CIT Moulins, CIT Montcalm and Autobus municipal de Repentigny. The AMT website implies that service is grouped or organized into two counties (Joliette and Montcalm) and two members (Moulins and L'Assomption).

[1] Municipalité régionale de comté de Joliette includes L'Assomption, Charlemagne, Crabtree, Joliette, L'Épiphanie, Repentigny, Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, Saint-Charles-Borromée, Sainte-Marie-Salomé, and Saint-Paul. Operated under contract by Orléans Urbain, a subsidiary of Keolis Canada (Street Side Guide 2015).

[2] Municipalité régionale de comté de Montcalm includes Chertsey, Entrelacs, Mascouche, Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci, Rawdon, Saint-Donat, Saint-Esprit, Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Saint-Roch de l'Achigan, Saint-Roch-Ouest, and Sainte-Julienne. Operated under contract by Orléans Urbain, a subsidiary of Keolis Canada (Street Side Guide 2015). (website 2008).

[3] Member Municipalité régionale de comté les Moulins includes Mascouche and Terrebonne. Separately listed in the Street Side Guide 2015 as Transport urbain les Moulins. Circa 2014 adopted the brand Urbis. Operated under contract by Orléans Urbain, a subsidiary of Keolis Canada (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below). (Photo David A. Wyatt).

[4] Réseau de transport collectif régional de la MRC de L'Assomption serving Municipalité régionale de comté de L'Assomption including L'Assomption, Charlemagne, Le Gardeur, L'Épiphanie, Repentigny, and Saint-Gérard-Majella. Separately listed in the Street Side Guide 2015 as Réseau de transport collectif régional de la MRC de L'Assomption. Operated under contract by Orléans Urbain, a subsidiary of Keolis Canada (Street Side Guide 2015). Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below).

CRT Lanaudiére logo c2006	MRC Moulins logo c2006	Urbis logo 2015	RTCR Assomption logo 2010
Data: AMT website 2006, RTCR website 2010, Urbis website (2015) (logos)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport de Chemin-du-Roy (? - 1987)
serving Berthierville. Disbanded 1987 (Transit News Canada 1987).

Conseil intermunicipal de transport des Basses-Laurentides (? - circa 2005?)
Serving Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Antoine, Mirabel, Blainville, Sainte-Thérèse, Rosemère, Lorraine, and Bois-des-Filion. Switched contractors from Société de transport de la ville de Laval to Autobus Deshaies Ltée 1986 (Transit News Canada 1986). Contract went to Limocar Laurentides when Deshaies began to collapse 09 October 1988. Serving Blainville, Sainte-Thérèse, Rosemère and Bois-de-Filion 1996 (Tom Box 1996). Contract operator Limocar Basses-Laurentides in Boisbriand (Jacques Matte 1998). Renamed CIT Laurentides. (Jacques Matte/PD 1998) (photo Jacques Matte)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	52 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Ville de Saint-Eustache (1987 - circa 2005?)
Municipally operated (or contracted) bus service. Jacques Matte/PD 1998 lists OMIT de Saint-Eustache. Operator R. Paquet (Jacques Matte 1998) as Autobus Paquette (GN 2006). Service provided by CIT Laurentides by 2006 (AMT website 2006).

Saint-Eustache logo	Vehicle fleet	2 buses
Saint-Eustache logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport de Deux-Montagnes (1987 - circa 2005?)
Serving Deux-Montagnes, St. Eustache, Oka, and others. St. Eustache, frustrated by service provided by contractor STL, set up its own minibus service (Transit News Canada 1987). Operated for the CIT by Autobus Deux-Montagnes (municipality?) 1998 (Jacques Matte 1998). Service provided by CIT Laurentides by 2006 (AMT website 2006). (Tom Box 1996, Jacques Matte 1998, Jacques Matte/PD 1998). (photo Jacques Matte)

CIT logo	Vehicle fleet	3 buses
CIT logo	Data source:	CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997, p. 10. Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)

Conseil intermunicipal de transport de St.-Jérôme (? - ?)
Local transit in St.-Jérôme only (Transit News Canada 1986). Perhaps a forerunner of CIT L-StA-StJ?

CIT Lafontaine - St-Antoine - St-Jérôme (? - circa 2005?)
Serving Lafontaine, Saint-Antoine, and Saint-Jérôme (Tom Box 1996). Probably split from CIT BL late 1980s or early 1990s. RS reports a Transport Québec in Saint-Jérôme circa 1994 (Perhaps a CIT contract operator). Operator Transcobec (Jacques Matte 1998). Somewhere before 2015 (likely in 2005) this CIT's service area became part of CIT Laurentides. (Not in CTHF Bulletin Nov 1997 or Jacques Matte/PD 1998 or AMT website 2006).

Conseil intermunicipal de transport des Laurentides (circa 2005? - 31 May 2017)
Continuation of CIT BL. Logo bears the name le service de transport intégré du CIT Laurentides and the acronym SURF. Service area includes Blainville, Bois-des-Filion, Boisbriand, Deux-Montagnes, Lorraine, Mirabel, Pointe-Calumet, Rosemère, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Saint-Eustache, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Sainte-Thérèse, Saint-Jérôme, and Saint-Joseph-du-Lac. Operated by four contractors: Autobus Transcobec, Transdev Limocar, Autobus Paquette, and Autobus Deux-Montagnes (Street Side Guide 2015). Discontinued using the “SURF” branding circa 2014. Full name of Autobus Paquette is apparently Robert Paquette Autobus et Fils, Inc. Operations amalgamated with AMT to form RTM June 2017 (see below).

SURF logo c2006 (above)

CIT Laurentides logo (2015)

Data source:

AMT website 2006
CITL website 2015

Saint-Joseph-du-Lac System

l'Autobus à Saint-Joseph-du-Lac (circa 2007 - present)
Municipally operated local service in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac connecting with CITL route 80. Free fare. (website 2010, cptdb 2010). From 22 August 2011 added shuttle service (not free fare) connecting with AMT train service at Deux-Montagnes (announcement Aug. 16, 2011).

Conseil Intermunicipal de Transport La Presqu'Île (01 June 2005 - 31 May 2017)
Serving Hudson, L'Île-Perrot, Pincourt, and Vaudreuil-Dorion. Also serves Notre-Dame-de-l'Ile-Perrot and Rigaud (Street Side Guide 2015).

logo c2006 Data source: AMT website 2006

Oka Express (02 August 2004 - 2010)
Connecting Oka with AMT commuter train service at Deux-Montagnes (AMT website 2006). Rebranded in 2010 (CPTdb Wiki 2015).

logo c2006

Data source:

AMT website 2006

l'Express d'Oka (2010 - present)
Connecting Oka and Saint-Placide with AMT commuter train service at Deux-Montagnes. Continuation of OE above (CPTdb Wiki 2015).

logo c2015

Data source:

l'Express d'Oka website 2015

exo Era

In April 2015 the government of Québec announced plans to re-organize suburban transit operations in the greater Montréal region. The region's CITs would be amalgamated with the train operations of AMT to form the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM) while the regional planning functions of AMT and the three city systems (STM [Montréal], STVL [Laval] and RTL [Longueuil]) would be combined into a new entity to be called Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM).

Réseau de transport métropolitain (01 June 2017 - 23 May 2018)
Assumed the AMT commuter train and bus operations plus bus services of

CIT Chambly - Richelieu - Carignan (Richelieu, Chambly, and Carignan);
CIT Haut-Saint-Laurent (Ormstown, Howick, Mercier, Sainte-Martine, and Très-Saint-Sacrement);
CIT de la Vallée du Richelieu (Beloeil, McMasterville, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Otterburn Park, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville (district of the city of Longueuil), Saint-Hyacinthe, Sainte-Madeleine, and Sainte-Marie-Madeleine);
CIT La Presqu'Île (Hudson, L'Île-Perrot, Pincourt, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Notre-Dame-de-l'Ile-Perrot, and Rigaud);
CIT des Laurentides (Blainville, Bois-des-Filion, Boisbriand, Deux-Montagnes, Lorraine, Mirabel, Pointe-Calumet, Rosemère, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Saint-Eustache, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Sainte-Thérèse, Saint-Jérôme, and Saint-Joseph-du-Lac);
CIT le Richelain (La Prairie, Candiac, Saint-Phillippe, and Saint-Mathieu);
CIT Roussillon (Saint-Constant, Delson, and Sainte-Catharine);
CIT Sorel - Varennes (Contrecoeur, Saint-Amable, Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, Sorel-Tracy, Varennes, and Verchères);
CIT Sud-Ouest (Beauharnois, Châteauguay, Kanawake, Léry, and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield);
Transport urbain les Moulins aka Urbis (Mascouche, and Terrebonne);
RTCR L'Assomption (L'Assomption, Charlemagne, Le Gardeur, L'Épiphanie, Repentigny, and Saint-Gérard-Majella); and
Ville de Sainte-Julie (Sainte-Julie).

Initially all of the various CIT contract operators continued under RTM. RTM adopted the brand exo May 2018.

le St-ColomBus (21 August 2017 - 22 December 2017)
Pilot peak-hours weekday free shuttle connecting Saint-Colomban to the Saint-Jérôme where further connections to Montréal are made via RTM commuter train. Service is fare-free.

system logo (2017)

Data source:

website 2017

exo (23 May 2018 - present)
Commuter train and bus operations formerly branded RTM. exo is a prefix that means “outer” and is a reference to the territory served, the outer suburbs of greater Montréal. Operating agency legally remains Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM). Bus and train operating contracts established by AMT and the individual CITs prior to the establishment of RTM continued. exo sector Le Richelain operating contractor from 01 January 2019 is Transdev replacing Autobus la Québécoise Ltée. exo sector Sud-Ouest discontinued route 99 service to Salaberry-de-Valleyfield 01 January 2019. The Deux-Montagnes - Montréal commuter rail line was cut back from downtown Montréal to operate Deux-Montagnes - Bois-Franc 11 May 2020, and was closed completely 31 December 2020. This was to facilitate construction of the Réseau express métropolitain.

system logo (2018)

Data source:

website 2018

References

Bachelder, Len. “Re: Montreal & Southern Counties,” an electronic article posted to the USEnet forum rec.railroad Tue, 22 Jun 1993 18:18:43 GMT by Len Bachelder.
(Tom Box 1996). Electronic correspondence with Tom Box December 1996.
Canadian National Railways Time Tables 30 Sep 1956 - 27 Apr 1957.
Canadian Pacific Time Table, System Folder, 27 Oct 1957 - 26 Apr 1958.
Canadian National Railways, System Time Table, 30 Oct 1966 - 29 Apr 1967.
Canadian Pacific Time Table, 27 Oct 1968 - 26 Apr 1969.
Cartwright, Glenn F., All Aboard for Montreal Nord, a WWWeb page at the URL: http://www.education.mcgill.ca/profs/cartwright/railways/nord.htm, 2005.
Cartwright, Glenn F., Electric Trains to Rawdon, a WWWeb page at the URL: http://www.education.mcgill.ca/profs/cartwright/rawdon/electraw.htm 1999-2011.
Clegg, Anthony, The Mount Royal Tunnel: Canada's First Subway, Railfare DC Books (Pickering, ON & Montreal, QC), 2008.
Clegg, Anthony, and Omer Lavallée. Catenary Through the Counties: The Story of Montreal & Southern Counties Railway, The Classic Era, St. Hilaire (Quebéc), 1966. Reprinted by Railfare Enterprises, Montreal (Quebéc).
NewDavesRailPix: Quebec, a World Wide Web gallery of photos at the URL: http://newdavesrailpix.com/odds/qu/qu.htm, 2000.
Godfrey, John, Jean-Francois Turcotte, and friends, “Montreal's Agence Métropolitain de Transport: Rail Division”, Canadian Rail, No. 538, September - October 2010, pp. 187-243.
Hartley, Scott, “Montreal's Endangered Electrics”, Railfan & Railroad, November 1980, pp. 46-50.
Latour, Denis, “Provincial Transport's Fortieth Anniversary,” Canadian Coach, Vol. IV, No. 11, November 1968, pp. 5-10.
“Provincial Transport Company's Motor Coach Operations,” Canadian Railway and Marine World, September 1931, pp. 601-603.
Ritchie, Ronald S., Canadian Pacific's Montreal Lakeshore Commuter Services, B.R.M.N.A., Calgary (Alberta), 1990.
Rivest, Mike, CITSO History, a world wide web document at the URL: http://rivest266.tripod.com/CITSO/citsoh.htm, 1998-2006.
Smith, Douglas N.W., “Temporary Reprieve for CN's Last Commuter Train”, Passenger Train Journal, Vol. 19, No. 5 (May 1988), pp. 9-10.

The author is always interested in comments, corrections and further information. Please email to:

dawwpg@shaw.ca

This page last modified: Saturday, 01-Jul-2023 21:39:19 CDT