LAVAL, QC, March 26, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - How can the self-sufficiency of intellectually challenged transit users and those with a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) be significantly increased and how can their transit trips be made easier for them?
To take up this exciting challenge, the Société de transport de Laval (STL) is proud to be teaming up with Centre de réadaptation en déficience intellectuelle (CRDI) Normand-Laramée, a rehab centre for the intellectually challenged, thereby putting into concrete form its intention previously announced in its plan to improve accessibility on public transit.
Under their partnership agreement, signed today, the two organizations will be pooling their resources and expertise to design a specialized mobile application for the intellectually challenged and PDD transit users. The Ministère des Transports du Québec will be funding 75% of this project.
The Chaire de recherche sur les technologies de soutien à l'autodétermination (TSA) (the research chair of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières in self-determination support technologies), will also be contributing to this project.
This new application has been designed to serve as a technical aid aimed at making riders more self-sufficient on their transit trips, while ensuring their safety. On their Smartphone, these riders will be able to receive messages and alerts that will guide them all throughout their trip, by giving them clear, precise instructions that they can see and hear—for example, what bus to board and at what stop to get off.
Through geolocation, authorized people will be able to follow the transit trips of the project participants (provided that these riders consent to such monitoring).
The STL's Customer Contact Centre may intervene during the transit trips taken with this application and, if need be, request the assistance of the various parties in the transit users' circle, depending on the situation.
"I would like to applaud this wonderful initiative and I'm proud of the fact that the Ministère des Transports is taking part in this developmental project," stated Guy Oullette, parliamentary secretary to the Transport Minister and MNA for Chomedey. Once more, the STL is distinguishing itself through its concern for continuing to optimize its transit users' experience and thereby promoting mass transit."
"We're constantly noting that Laval is determined to be ahead of its time," stated Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt. "It's a city that is home to the good life, and more and more, this holds true for everyone."
"We are aware of—and sensitive to—the needs of special clienteles, and our ambition is to make it possible for them to safely and efficiently use our regular transit network. From now on, they will be able to choose between paratransit services and those of the regular system," stated STL Chairman Jean-Jacques Beldié.
"This new application will have an extremely positive impact, as the intellectually challenged and those with PDD will have a much better quality of life, as a result."
The new mobile application will take advantage of the functionalities of STL Synchro—a vast, real-time information system for transit users. This system has been in operation since January 2010.
The STL, facts and figures
CRDI Normand-Laramée
Image with caption: "Left to right: Guy Picard, GM of STL; Claude Belley, GM of CRDI Normand-Laramée; Jean-Jacques Beldié, Chairman of the Board of STL; Germain Lafrenière, Vice-Chairman of the Board of CRDI Normand-Laramée; Alain Paquet, Minister of Finance and MNA for Laval-des-Rapides; Francine Charbonneau, MNA for Mille-Îles; Guy Ouellette, Assistant to the Minister of Transport; and Gilles Vaillancourt, Mayor of Laval (CNW Group/SOCIETE DE TRANSPORT DE LAVAL)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120326_C7970_PHOTO_EN_11577.jpg
Marie-Céline Bourgault
Director, Communication & Marketing
Société de transport de Laval
450 662-5429
[email protected]
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