Should Montreal buses be air-conditioned?

As riders endure July’s oppressive heat, Société de transport de Montréal (QC) is asking its customers whether they want air-conditioned buses. The survey — which, in a ironic twist, is being distributed to riders on STM’s handful of air-conditioned buses — also asks passengers whether they would be willing to pay more for air-conditioned buses and whether they are concerned about the impact on the agency’s carbon footprint. STM estimates that equipping the bus fleet with air-conditioning would cost $20 million, plus $5 million a year in operating costs. Fuel consumption would increase 25%, and 3,200 tons of greenhouse gases would be added to the atmosphere each year. Previous surveys have suggested that air-conditioning is a low priority for Montreal’s transit riders. Link to full story in The Gazette.

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