Information in real time - Work is progressing according to schedule!

LAVAL, QC, Sept. 17 /CNW Telbec/ - By the end of 2009, the Société de transport de Laval (STL) will rank among the Canadian leaders in real-time information.

Since last April, all vehicles on our fleet have been equipped with the Vehicle Scheduling Control System (VSCS).

This state-of-the-art system automatically locates buses, helps keep to schedules and simplifies communications between drivers and supervisors.

A second phase provides for implementing the Passenger Information System (PIS) by March 2010 . It will make it possible to introduce both audible and visual announcements, on each bus, to inform riders of the upcoming stop and possible transfers.

Moreover, some one hundred high-traffic stops will be equipped with a display unit indicating the exact time that the next bus will be passing, thanks to a Global Positioning System.

Already enviable, the STL buses' on-time performance is bound to increase, just as much as riders' satisfaction, in fact!

The STL: Facts and Figures

    
    - The STL operates nearly 20 million runs annually.
    - The overhaul of the bus network, made necessary by the launch of the
      metro, gave rise to a 28% increase in service, faster trips and more
      direct bus routes.
    - The frequency of buses outside rush hours, evenings and weekends will
      double between now and 2011.
    - The fare policy is particularly designed to encourage families to use
      public transit: All adults paying their fare on weekends and holidays
      may be accompanied, free of charge, by up to five children age 11 and
      under. This policy applies every day in the summer, July 1 - Labour
      Day. In addition, its $1 fares on summer smog days are a first in
      Québec.
    - The STL is carrying out a feasibility study for a trolleybus network
      powered by electrical energy.
    - It is financing Éco Mobile à Laval, a major operation of Vélo Québec
      and aimed at promoting alternate solutions to car use.
    - It is also partnering with the Association québécoise de lutte contre
      la pollution atmosphérique, Communauto and The Carpooling Network to
      promote sustainable transportation in Laval.
    - All vehicles on its fleet use biodiesel B5, a fuel that comes from
      recycled oil that isn't made of corn.
    - By March 2010, real-time announcements will be displayed on buses, at
      stops and via text messaging.
    

For further information: Marie-Céline Bourgault, Director, Communications and Marketing, Société de transport de Laval, [phone], [email protected]