Exo bus services explained

Exo provides 219 bus lines, on-demand transit and paratransit service throughout the outer suburbs and exurbs of the Greater Montreal region of Canada.^[3]

History

Prior to June 2017, bus service within the greater region of Montréal was provided by a number of different municipal services and local transit agencies known as Conseils intermunicipaux de transport (intermunicipal boards of transport, or CIT).^[4] These local agencies were coordinated since 1997 by the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT).

On June 1, 2017, the Réseau de transport métropolitain (RTM), later rebranded Exo, took over service operation of twelve former CITs and local transit agencies:^[5]

Progressively, paratransit non-profit organizations were integrated into Exo:

• TARSO (June 2020)^[6]
• Handi-Bus (October 2020)^[7]
• Soleil Transport (May 2021)^[8]
• Transport Accès (February 2022)^[9]

Exo piloted an on-demand bus service in McMasterville and Beloeil in June 2011. Service was expanded to Terrebonne in July 2022, to Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Otterburn Park in July 2024, and Boisbriand in November 2024.^{[2] [10] [11]}

In March 2022, the ARTM took over the Express d'Oka bus line between Saint-Placide and Saint-Eustache.^[12] It was integrated as line 744 in the Laurentides sector.^[13]

In 2023, when the Réseau express métropolitain began service on the South Shore, most Exo lines that ran along the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge had to be rerouted to either Panama or Brossard stations.^[14] Exo took the opportunity to redesign the bus networks in the Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan and Richelain / Roussillon sectors.^[15]

In October 2024 the Haut-Saint-Laurent sector was merged into the Sud-Ouest sector.^[16]

Fares

Exo services operate within the integrated fare structure of the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) for Greater Montreal. Exo bus sectors are exclusively in zones C and D, though some express or regional buses have destinations in zones A or B.^[17]

Certain sectors may have their own particularities, such as fare-free local travel.^[18]

Some municipalities served by Exo outside of the ARTM territory are charged as a Zone D fare, even if they are not on the ARTM's list.

Services

Exo offers different types of bus services, depending on the service area, destinations, population density and proximity to rapid transit infrastructure.

• Scheduled bus and taxibus (fr|taxi collectif |translation=collective taxi) services^[19]
  • Local bus routes: Routes operating within the Exo sector's territory. These may be served by full-size city bus, midibus, minibus or taxibus.
  • Express bus routes: Typically commuter lines leading to a metropolitan terminus, REM, metro or train station. May be a city bus or a motor coach.
  • Regional bus routes: More occasional service connecting an Exo sector to areas outside of its territory. Usually a city bus or motor coach.
• Taxibus by reservation: Fixed schedule and stops, but a reservation must be made at least 1 hour in advance. Depending on the sector, reservation may be by phone or web. Taxis are provided by local taxi companies.^[20]
• On-demand service, branded as exo on-demand: Fixed stops over a defined territory, but no set route or schedule. Passengers use an app to schedule a pick-up and drop-off between two stops in the territory served.^[21]
• Paratransit (fr|transport adapté): Door-to-door transportation, by reservation. Service is available to eligible users, according to government of Quebec requirements. An admission request must be submitted. Reservations can be made by phone or online for trips within Exo territory before 4 p.m. the previous day, or 48 hours in advance for trips outside of the service area.^[22]

Bus sectors and routes

Exo bus and paratransit services are managed by subsidiary sectors, whose areas are defined by municipalities in ARTM fare zones C and D.

Exo sectors and municipalities served, by transit fare zone ^[23]

Exo sector	Zone A and B destinations	Zone C municipalities	Zone D municipalities	Qty of bus routes[24] (Sept. 2024)
Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan			Paratransit only:	25
La Presqu'Île	Montreal	Paratransit only:	Paratransit only:	28
L'Assomption	Montreal			15
Laurentides	Laval		Saint-Placide	85
Richelain / Roussillon				41
Sainte-Julie	Longueuil	Sainte-Julie		14
Sorel-Varennes and Marguerite-D'Youville		Paratransit only (via Marguerite-D'Youville sector):	Paratransit only (via Marguerite-D'Youville sector):	14
Sud-Ouest	Montreal		Salaberry-de-Valleyfield	26
Terrebonne-Mascouche				49
Vallée du Richelieu			Paratransit only:	15

See also

• Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain
• Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu public transit

External links

• Réseau de transport métropolitain buses
• Réseau de transport métropolitain buses (EN)

Notes and References

1. Web site: L'objectif de la mobilité intégrée . 2017-05-15 . fr . The Objective of Integrated Mobility . La Presse . 2024-09-03.
2. Web site: Rapport annuel 2023 . 2023 Annual Report . Exo . 2024-09-01.
3. Web site: Bus . Exo . 2024-09-09 .
4. Web site: C-60.1 - Act respecting intermunicipal boards of transport in the area of Montréal . Gouvernement du Québec . 2024-09-02.
5. Web site: Statut, mandats et territoire . fr . Exo . 2024-09-03 .
6. Web site: Transport adapté : exo intégrera les opérations de TARSO dès le 27 juin 2020 . June 22, 2020 . Exo . fr . 2024-09-03.
7. Web site: Transport adapté: exo intégrera les opérations de l'organisme Handi-Bus . 2020-10-29 . Exo . fr . 2024-09-03.
8. Web site: Transport adapté : exo intégrera les opérations de l’organisme Transport Soleil . Exo . fr . 2021-04-30 . 2024-09-03.
9. Web site: Transport adapté : exo intégrera les opérations de l’organisme Transport Accès . 2022-01-28 . Exo . fr . 2024-09-03.
10. News: Exo à la demande débarque aussi à Mont-Saint-Hilaire et Otterburn Park . fr . Exo on demand lands also in Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Otterburn Park . L'Oeil régional . 2024-07-29 . 2024-10-09.
11. News: Exo à la demande à Boisbriand dès le 9 novembre . fr . Exo on demand in Boisbriand as of November 9 . L'Écho de la rive-nord . 2024-10-25 . Gabrielle Denoncourt . 2024-11-11.
12. Web site: À compter du 1er avril, l’Express d’Oka devient la ligne 744 d’EXO : on répond à toutes vos questions ! . fr . As of April 1st, the Express d'Oka becomes EXO line 744 . Municipalité de Saint-Placide . 2022-03-31 . 2024-09-03.
13. Web site: Ligne 744 - Express d'Oka . fr . Exo . 2024-09-03.
14. Web site: Le REM ouvert au public le 31 juillet . 2023-07-07 . fr . La Presse . 2024-09-03.
15. Web site: Votre nouveau réseau d’autobus . fr . Your new bus network . 2024-09-03 . Exo .
16. Secteurs Sud-Ouest et Haut-Saint-Laurent d'exo - NOUVELLES ÉTAPES FRANCHIES VERS UN RÉSEAU REPENSÉ . fr . Sud-Ouest and Haut-Saint-Laurent exo sectors - NEW STEPS TAKEN TOWARD A REDESIGNED NETWORK . Montreal . 2024-09-17 . Exo . Groupe CNW . 2024-10-08.
17. Web site: Find your fare . Exo . 2024-09-09.
18. Web site: Transit fares . 2024-08-21 . Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain .
19. Web site: Refonte du réseau autobus : Secteur Richelain / Roussillon . fr . 2024-09-03.
20. Web site: Taxibus . Exo . 2024-09-03.
21. Web site: exo on demand . Exo . 2024-09-03.
22. Web site: Transport adapté . fr . Exo . 2024-09-03.
23. Web site: Exo zone tarifaire FR V3 . Exo . PDF . fr .
24. Includes all bus, taxibus, taxibus by reservation and on-demand transit services. Web site: Bus schedules . Exo . 2024-09-03 .