The Montreal Transit Corp. (STM) and the city’s Executive Committee, which is responsible for setting budgets, have authorized the establishment of the Transit Priority Network for Montreal, a plan to gradually outfit the transit bus fleet with signal-priority controls. With new electronic traffic controls being installed along 15 major roadways between now and 2009, transit buses will receive a few seconds’ head start over other motorists. STM Chairman Claude Dauphin said that the new network should pave the way for a 10% increase in ridership. The program is part of a wide-scale customer satisfaction plan being implemented through 2008. The roadways were selected based on their heavy ridership numbers. When the installation of signal priority is complete, bus routes that travel along the affected roadways will have a 10% to 20% reduction in travel time, according to STM estimates. Divided into three phases, the upgrade will cost $35 million, 75% of which will be provided by the city.