STM Testing Air Conditioning on Buses

The STM has launched a so-called pilot project to determine if Montreal’s bus fleet should be equipped with air conditioning. There has been quite a bit of local media attention given to the story. Last year, opposition Projet Montreal made a big deal about air conditioning our public transportation system, particularly since new Metro cars were about to be ordered. Keep in mind, Projet Montreal is the “Green” party at City Hall.

The baffling thing about this pilot project is the survey that is being issued to some people lucky enough to catch one of the dozen or so climate controlled buses presently roaming the streets of Montreal. Two of the questions in particular should send out alarm bells to those who believe the STM should enter the 21st century.

One of the things being asked is whether users would be willing to pay more for having air conditioned buses. Since when does the STM or any public agency care about whether or not people are willing to pay more for anything? They always go ahead and raise prices regardless of public opinion. Nobody asked Montrealers whether or not they were willing to pay to subsidize Bixi, which in actuality is used by a miniscule portion of the population compared to those who use public transit.

The STM claims it would cost $20 million to air condition the fleet, but that is a very misleading figure. There is no way the STM has any intention of retrofitting existing buses with air conditioning systems. The decision would apply to new bus orders. It costs around $15,000 more for a bus out of the factory with A/C. I don’t know how many new buses are ordered annually, but I doubt the extra cost of A/C would amount to $20 million. Fuel costs are another matter. But think about it, using the same logic, it would cost far less in fuel costs if they were to stop heating buses in the winter, would it not? But you don’t see them asking users whether or not they are willing to pay extra for heating, do you?

Which brings us to another idiotic question being asked. That is whether users would be willing to accept an increase to the STM’s carbon footprint. Let’s put all ideology aside and continue to stick to facts: Canada as a whole contributes 2% of all the world’s carbon emissions. The combined emissions of Montreal buses with air conditioning would not even register. To think that they would seriously be basing a decision on this factor is mind-boggling. Furthermore, are we supposed to be that more self-righteous than just about every other major North American city that we are willing to give up the “luxury” of air conditioned public transit because we are so more concerned about the planet than everyone else? What a pile of nonsense! They don’t use that logic in Ottawa, Toronto or New York, do they?

Last year the STM went ahead and ordered the new Montreal Metro cars without air conditioning. The people in charge were emphatic that it just couldn’t be done, for all sorts of reasons. Of course, it can in other cities… It is no secret that the Metro is at times unbearably hot and uncomfortable, not matter the time of year. Go down to the subways in New York or Toronto. For the most part, the stations look like crap, but the minute you enter the train, you notice the difference immediately - you can actually breathe! The STM claims the new metro cars will have powerful ventilation systems and that A/C will not be needed. We shall see. Don’t hold your breath. You may not be aware of the fact that the conductor’s cabins are air-conditioned. They are because early on when the Metro first opened, a conductor lost consciousness from the heat.

Here’s the point, the STM loves to tell everyone how great it is. Fact is, the reasons ridership has increased in recent years has NOTHING to do with anything the STM has done. It is because of a combination of high gas prices and the way motorists in Montreal are now being treated like quasi-criminals. Parking has become such a nightmare that most rational thinking people will never take their cars downtown. Of course those who can afford to will continue to travel by car. It is those with shrinking budgets who are forced onto public transit. Concern about the planet or satisfaction with the system have nothing to do with their decisions. Ask most people whether they enjoy their time packed onto an A/C-less bus during rush hour during a heat wave, and you’ll get a pretty unanimous no.

If the STM really cared about public opinion, they would not have filled their fleet with low-floor buses people have almost unanimously hated from the day they began roaming Montreal streets. This A/C pilot project will have one of two possible results: 1) New buses will be ordered with air conditioning as of next year and fares will increase with that as the supposed reasoning. 2) The STM will claim self-righteousness or poverty and tell us that unlike most of the continent, Montreal just can’t handle such a profound luxury. Either way, I believe the decision has already been made and this is simply a PR exercise.

Paul Harvey's last Saturday newscast 02/07/09 Part 1

Rusty Staub Visits Montreal - Featuring Claude Raymond and Ted Blackman

This goes back more than a few years!

Three Radio Centre-Ville Shows Worth Checking Out

One of the biggest issues programs on community stations like Radio Centre-Ville face is getting the word out about their existence. With new technology it has become much easier than ever before to establish an audio web presence. That is certainly true for many of CINQ’s programs. Podcasts and iTunes have made it possible to gain listeners in ways that were once unimaginable.
Having said that, I thought I would spend a few paragraphs here introducing you to three programs that you might not necessarily be familiar with. I believe they are each well worth listening to. I will admit that I have been involved with each in some capacity over the past few years, so I may be a little biased.

Let’s begin with one of the most underrated programs on Montreal radio. Arts Notebook airs every Saturday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM on CINQ 102.3 FM. The program is hosted by Stanley Asher, who has been a fixture on Montreal radio for over 30 years. Asher is also involved with Radio Shalom, a radio station in Montreal that serves the Jewish community. Asher used to teach at John Abbott College but is now retired. He is probably one of the smartest people I have ever met. His co-host is Davyn Ryall, who is the Artistic Director of Village Scene Productions and very well-known in Montreal theatre circles. There are probably few people who are as knowledgeable and passionate about Montreal theatre than Ryall.

Arts Notebook mostly features guests from the city’s cultural scene. When it comes to film, theatre and/or music, if it’s happening in Montreal, you will hear about it on Arts Notebook. Every show features interviews with performers and production people from Montreal and elsewhere. You will almost certainly hear about stuff not ordinarily mentioned on commercial radio stations.

I move on to another unique listening experience: Scottish Voice. It airs every Saturday between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM on CINQ 102.3 FM. For over a decade Cape Breton-native Janet Stubbert has brought listeners authentic music from Scotland and Nova Scotia as well as special guests and interesting stories. It is the only Scottish-themed program of its kind in Quebec. Where else on your radio dial will you come across authentic Gaelic lessons?

I have been involved with Scottish Voice as technical producer for about two and a half years. In that time I have learned more about Nova Scotia culture than I ever imagined possible. Since the end of 2010, the reach of the program has expended to include listeners on K-LEE 1600 AM in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. You can listen in on K-LEE Sundays and Wednesdays at 6 PM ET. And if you miss a program, you can log onto the Scottish Voice Podcast Archive or subscribe via iTunes or Podbean.

And finally, another program that deserves a lot more attention is The Digital Life Show. It airs every Saturday from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM on CINQ 102.3 FM.  Host Reisa Levine describes the show as “a half hour weekly Podcast and radio show featuring regular guests from all sectors of society who are working and playing in the digital domain…” The program differs from a lot of other so called digital shows in that it doesn’t focus on gadgets. The Digital Life Show is more interested in digital media’s impact on society.

From Managing Editor of Le Devoir, Roland-Yves Carignan to Montreal star blogger Steve Faguy, the quality of the program’s guests is very impressive. Current digital news is also a subject of discussion as are the place of grass-roots movements involved in the digital world. Check it out, it’s another program that deserves to be heard. You can also subscribe to The digital Life Show on iTunes.

So there are just a few examples of Radio Centre-Ville’s English language offerings. English programming runs from every Friday night at 10:30 PM to Saturday afternoons at 4:00 PM. Shows are available through live streaming at the Radio Centre-Ville web site. Here is the complete schedule of programs along with podcast links. Hope you find something enjoyable!

Aaron Rand The Last Montreal Radio Legend?

There has been a lot of reaction to Aaron Rand’s last week at the “Q”. It’s amazing how many people have been revisiting their 1980s radio nostalgia in preparation of Mr. Rand’s departure. And it is well worth looking back to one of the “golden“ eras of English radio in Montreal which was the 1980s. Aaron Rand told CTV today that creativity is pretty much stifled nowadays in favour of more music.

You can’t argue with his point of view. It must be very difficult to do a purely music show now, especially when you have no control over what you are playing. But then again, it’s been like that for a while. I tend to believe that people tune in to be either entertained or informed. The only difference today is how there are so many other options. You now pretty much have access to just about any song ever recorded on your mobile device. There is much less dependency on someone choosing what you should be listening to, even though that is how a lot of music still gets exposed in the first place.

As for Aaron Rand, he has all but promised to resurface in the near future. Whether that will be on a traditional radio station or not remains to be seen. From all that has been said, it appears Mr. Rand will be remaining in Montreal, which is great news. Rand has set up a web site where you will be able to stay informed on his future radio endeavours.

Aaron Rand’s “legacy” goes way beyond Montreal. I wrote a little blurb about his departure from the “Q’ a few months back and it has become one of the most read blog entries here. It has been drawing search engine inquiries from far beyond the borders of Montreal. Does that indicate that people are nostalgic? There seems to be an appetite for old air checks of the famous CFCF 600 show. The "Aaron Rand Show" has had such a lasting impact on what were then a group of young radio listeners. For a couple of years, it was so good that you could have easily set it up as the standard to which all other radio shows ought to aim for.

Times have changed. It is no longer 1986. We’ve lost so many Montreal radio legends over the past decade. We ought to appreciate the ones who are still around. It would be great if a new generation could be inspired by the creativity and yes - genius - that has been displayed by people like Aaron Rand and Paul Zakaib over the past three decades.

UPDATE: Check out this wonderful recap of Aaron Rand's last morning at the "Q" on Steve Faguy's Blog.

Téléhoraire Vidéotron - 1988

Canadian Radio in 1960