The surveys were carried out from the 15th to the 30th of
September 2014 on regular weekdays and weekends between
7:00 am and 10:30 am, and between 2:00 pm and 6:30 pm in order
to cover both morning and afternoon commuting periods. The survey
was one page long, and included both French and English versions.
It should be noted that during the surveying periods, the
weather conditions were normal, with no major events impacting
the typical bus and metro service. Approximately 90% of the
printed survey sheets were filled out by users, with no observed
systematic rejection pattern at any stop. The surveyed passengers
were chosen randomly, based on who arrived first at the stops.
They were provided with writing tools and clipboards to fill out
the survey, while the surveyors were standing nearby to provide
assistance if needed. Passengers were asked to identify the bus
route they were waiting for at a stop, and to indicate when they
started using the service. Survey participants were also required
to report how frequently they use the route, by selecting one of
three options: 1 day a week or less, 2–4 days a week, or 5 days a week
or more. In addition, they were also asked whether their current
trip involved a transfer, either before or after using the bus service
in question. Next, the survey required users to indicate their level
of satisfaction with their waiting time, travel time, experience on
board and cost of trip using rating systems (1 = unsatisfied to
5 = very satisfied). Experience on board was included in the survey
to better understand transit users’ level of comfort during transit
trips, which may have an impact on their willingness to recommend
the transit service to others and/or their intend future use.