REM bringing back special shuttles after Tuesday morning breakdown

Commuters wait in line for the REM as delays persist. (Catherine Raymond)

The Réseau express métropolitain (REM) is bringing back its special shuttle service after experiencing issues yet again Tuesday morning.

The 721, 568 and 722 will be in service indefinitely as of 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. They will run until 8:20 p.m., even if the REM is fully functional, to ensure reliable transit.

The 721 — which runs between Montreal’s Central Station and Brossard Station — and the 722 — which runs between Panama Station and Central Station — will both pass every 15 minutes during rush hours and every half hour during off-peak periods.

The 569, which runs between Central Station and Île-des-Sœurs stations, will pass every 20 minutes all day.

Riders will still need a valid fare ticket to board the shuttles.

Back-up bus services will also be available during REM closures on weekends as of 8:20 p.m. on weeknights.

“The reliability of public transit is essential to maintain people’s trust. With the return of the special bus service, we are ensuring that we can offer greater predictability and reliability of service to citizens affected by interruptions to the REM,” said Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) Director Benoit Gendron in a news release.

The network took to social media Tuesday morning to say a “technical issue” was causing service interruptions between Gare Centrale in downtown Montreal and the Panama station in Brossard on the South Shore.

“A problem occurred with the switch situated near Gare Centrale,” explained Francis Labbé with the REM. “Our teams are working to correct the situation.”

As such, there was “normal service between Brossard and Île-des-Sœurs.”

However, for much of the morning, “a platform change [was] required at Île-des-Sœurs station to continue your trip to Gare Centrale.”

The REM has been riddled with issues in recent weeks due in part to intense weather conditions and other issues with switches.

The train service will begin integrating new lines to the West Island from April until August. During that time, REM service will start at 5:30 a.m. and stop at 8:20 p.m. for downtown-bound trains and 8:40 p.m. for Brossard-bound ones on weekdays.

The ARTM stressed that even when the REM is out of service, there are other ways to get between Montreal and the South Shore, such as buses and Exo trains.