You can't use the REM if you can't find it, so a Montreal university student took charge

Getting around the greater Montreal region by public transit should be easy but it seems many are having trouble finding their way from the Metro to the new REM.

It's a problem one Concordia University student decided to solve himself. While most students spend their summers enjoying their downtime, graphic design student Dashiell Friesen made other plans.

It all stemmed from his observations that days before the REM was due to open, something was missing, namely more signage explaining to everyone how they could make their way from the Metro to a new electric light-rail station.

"I kept waiting and nothing was added," he said, and so he decided to create his own signs.

"I put them up three days before the REM opening," Friesen said.

The signs took about an hour to design and about $50 to produce, he said, explaining he cut them all himself.

With the permission of the owners of Place Bonaventure, he installed eight large signs and 35 smaller versions in locations he scouted beforehand.

"I stood in the hallway and watched where people would look," he said.

On a pillar in Central Station, he noticed that there was only a map of the underground city being displayed. So he added his sign underneath.

Friesen is critical of the (Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain) ARTM and of the REM for their lack of foresight.

"They should be able to prepare for this instead of me having to do it all, basically," Friesen said.

In his estimation the STM did a better job, adding their own signs when they noticed passengers were still getting lost.

The ARTM told CTV they met with REM and STM officials Wednesday morning and have a plan to take action to correct the snafu in the coming days.