International Association of Public Transport - The STL agrees to sign Charter on Sustainable Development

LAVAL, QC, Nov. 21, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Société de transport de Laval (STL) is determined to take the necessary measures to be allowed to sign the UITP's Charter on Sustainable Development as a full charter signatory.

This is the formal commitment made earlier this month by Guy Picard, the STL's General Manager, at a meeting of the Sustainable Development Commission of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). At this meeting held in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 9, Mr. Picard therefore endorsed the UITP's Charter on Sustainable Development as a pledge signatory.

In the coming months, the STL will have to demonstrate that it is implementing the UITP's sustainable development principles hinging on three main focuses:

• social (interaction with the community, users and employees)
• financial (the financial viability of the organization), and
• environmental

Once such proof has been accepted, the STL will be able to officially ratify the Charter. "We hope to be able to do so at the UITP's next World Congress in Geneva, to be held next May," stated Guy Picard.

Based in Brussels, Belgium, the UITP has 3100 members from 90 countries and is an international organization for stakeholders in the public transit industry, including public transit authorities and operators, policy decision-makers and scientific institutes. So far, less than 5% of its members have ratified the Charter as pledge signatories or full charter signatories.

The STL, facts and figures

• The STL operates over 20 million runs annually.
• The STL has rolled out its STLSynchro system, which informs transit users, in real time, about bus schedules and progress along the routes.
• The overhaul of its bus network, made necessary by the extension of the metro to Laval, has given rise to a 32% increase in service, faster trips, more direct bus routes and a greater frequency of buses outside rush hours, on evenings and weekends along 12 routes.
• The STL has also joined forces with the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique, Communauto and the Carpooling Network, to promote sustainable transportation in Laval.
• 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 also applies to every day in the summer, July 1 - Labour Day. In addition, the STL's $1 fares on summer smog days are a first in Québec.
• All vehicles on its fleet use biodiesel B5.
• The STL is registered on Twitter and has its own Facebook page, where it announces service notices.
• The STL offers riders the opportunity to register on MySTL in order to receive notices on the bus routes that they usually take.
• Since the roll-out, in 2009, of its vehicle scheduling control system, the STL's on-time performance rates continue to improve and, to date, it has succeeded in achieving rates of over 92%.
• The STL has received a number of awards of distinction, including one from the AQTR in 2010: the Grand Prix for excellence in mass transit, positioning it as an outstanding corporation.
• In 2011, the STL was honoured with the AQTR's general public communication award for its Smog Alert program.
• In 2011, the STL undertook a feasibility study to examine the viability of implementing an aerial tramway (gondola service) on its territory. This study is an additional project over and above the measures in the Sustainable Mobility Plan. The steps being taken in this regard are supported by Ville de Laval, the Agence métropolitaine de transport and Hydro-Québec.
• A new program—STL Sustainable Mobility Solution—was launched in May 2012. This program is designed for organizations concerned with finding ways of more efficiently managing their employees' commuting.
• In May 2012, the STL was honoured with the 2012 Corporate Leadership Award in the Innovation category, for its CLIC carpooling project with electric vehicles.

SOURCE: SOCIETE DE TRANSPORT DE LAVAL

Marie-Céline Bourgault
Director, Communications and Marketing
Société de transport de Laval
450 662-5429
[email protected]