Helping Montrealers one lift at a time
How one volunteer stepped up to help vulnerable people during the STM strike
It was a car ride between strangers. No money exchanged, just transportation and conversation.
Montreal resident Melissa Li was in the driver’s seat.
“I was joking with my friends that it felt like I was a politician just listening to the complaints of the people,” Li said, after driving a stranger to the hospital to help out during the most recent STM maintenance workers' strike.
When the month-long strike was announced in October, Li took to Facebook to offer free rides. In her post, she specified that she could offer rides to the elderly, people with low income or “folks with limited mobility” to the hospital, if needed.
Being a writer who works from home, Li said she felt she was in a position to help others out during this time of limited transit options.
“I'm happy to give someone a ride because I have the luxury of having a car,” she added. “I can't imagine people who can't afford to take Ubers everywhere and need to go to the hospital.”
Li’s post blew up on the Facebook page “Montrealers Helping Montrealers,” garnering 386 likes and 67 replies. She said she received close to 10 direct messages, with some requesting help beyond what Li was willing to do.
Two requests, however, turned out to be perfect matches. One person with a disability needed a lift to the hospital, and someone with low income needed one to a legal appointment.
The stranger she took to the hospital was a former New Yorker, like Li. They chatted about old neighbourhoods and other New York-related topics during the drive.
According to Li, the person would have had to walk 75 minutes had it not been for the ride.
“They were really grateful that they didn't have to do that because it was raining that day as well,” Li said. “They were just really lovely.”
According to Geneviève Paradis, spokesperson for the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, some patients preferred to find ways around getting to their medical appointments.
In an email statement to The Link, Paradis said the CIUSSS has not been able to link a connection to the STM strike and cancellations or no shows. “That said, we have noticed that several users prefer to postpone scheduling appointments until after the STM strike period,” said Paradis.
Meanwhile, paramedic Daniel Castillo said he has witnessed firsthand how residents improvised transportation during this time.
Three weeks ago, during his shift, Castillo was dispatched to a senior who said she was feeling sick. The woman wanted the ambulance to bring her to the hospital, for what Castillo thought wasn’t an emergency.
“She would get there by bus. She can’t afford a taxi, and an ambulance is free for those 65 and up,” Castillo said. “It makes sense [since] the ambulance is free. It's not the right resource, but there isn’t another resource.”
An ambulance is free in certain cases, such as for people receiving welfare benefits and people older than 65 with a physician's approval. For those not exempt, an ambulance ride costs $125 plus $1.75 per kilometre.
During the maintenance workers’ union strike, STM service was limited to rush hour periods. However, those registered with the STM’s paratransit service could still access it during regular hours.
Yet when public transportation became less accessible, private transportation, such as Uber’s ride-hailing service, became more expensive as prices surged.
“I think it should be the opposite,” Li said. “In a time like this, people should be making it more accessible, not less accessible, so I definitely don't believe in any Uber hikes.”
Li said she was encouraged to volunteer with an organization in Villeray that offers free ride services to seniors year-round. However, she said the organization rejected her application because she doesn’t speak French.
The maintenance workers’ strike was suspended on Nov. 12, ending the scheduled month-long strike. The bus drivers and metro operators’ strike that was scheduled for Nov. 15 and 16 was also cancelled; a strike that would have stopped service for two full days.
Still, even with the strikes having been suspended, Li said if she discovers an organization with a free carpooling service, she would look into signing up.
A previous version of this article stated that only bus drivers were set to strike on Nov. 15 and 16. This is incorrect, the strike action included both bus drivers and metro operators. The Link regrets this error.
This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 6, published November 18, 2025.
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