Montreal's STM Buses Don't Have Winter Tires
When the snow starts falling in Montreal, I still feel a electric-feeling of childlike excitement looking out the window on the morning of the first snowfall.
TL;DR Ever notice STM buses slip and slide on the snow-covered roads. It's because buses never actually use winter tires. The STM bus tires go through a yearly “retreading” process where standard tires are modified with deeper treads to increase traction. New tires are then placed on the front of the bus and retreaded tires are put on the rear, “a homemade recipe” that is apparently quite effective.
But within a few quick moments, that joyful nostalgic feeling is washed away by the feeling of pure dread. My mind quickly snaps back to reality and I start thinking about what snowy season actually brings us as adults: longer dreadful commutes, clunky coats and boots, freezing to death waiting for the bus, and miserable commuters everywhere.
There's a consistent theme here, taking the bus in the winter is absolute pure hell. It's always running late, moving insanely slow, and it will like slip and slide all over the street and maybe even get stuck or in an accident. Most Montrealers have seen this happen.
That's because STM buses never actually use winter tires. It's true!
Rather than slap on winter tires similar to cars, the STM goes through a yearly “retreading” process in November, where standard tires are modified with deeper treads to increase traction.
New tires are then placed on the front of the bus and retreaded tires are put on the rear, “a homemade recipe” that is apparently quite effective, according to a report by CTV News.
How effective can it be when we often see buses getting into accidents, getting totally stuck, or sliding into random objects. Seems pretty dangerous considering that it's a bus!
We can only hope the snowfall this year won't be too much for the Montreal buses to take. Otherwise, we always recommend taking the metro; a lifesaver in the winter.
