Smog Alert - TAKE THE BUS IN LAVAL FOR ONLY $1!

LAVAL, QC, Sept. 1 /CNW Telbec/ - Environment Canada issued a smog warning for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the local area. In keeping with its commitment, the Société de transport de Laval (STL) has therefore reduced the fare on its buses Tuesday August 31 and Wednesday September 1^st to just $1, and will also maintain this fare on Thursday September 2^nd. The operation is going very well. Thanks to the special $1 fare, 4749 additional riders used our buses, for an increase of 10.37% in the average number of trips on a Tuesday at this time of year.

Launched in 2008, the Smog Alert initiative aims at promoting the use of public transit when the air quality deteriorates so much that it is below acceptable standards.

It has been estimated that the special $1 fare might prompt some 1500 motorists to leave their cars at home on smog days.

No other Québec carrier has adopted an incentive fare policy, under these circumstances, to improve the quality of the air.

This measure (which comes to an end on Labour Day, September 6) may well be repeated during the summer.

The STL, facts and figures

• The STL operates over 20 million runs annually.
• The overhaul of the bus network, made necessary by the extension of the metro to Laval, gave rise to a 28% increase in service, faster trips and more direct bus routes.
• The frequency of buses outside rush hours, on evenings and weekends, has doubled on 12 lines since August 2009.
• 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.
• 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.
• The STL has its own pages on Facebook and Twitter, where it announces service notices and smog alerts.
• The STL offers riders the opportunity to register on MySTL to receive notices on its bus routes that they usually take.
• Since the roll-out, in 2009, of its vehicle scheduling control system, the STL's on-time performance has been on the rise, to over 92%.
• In February 2010, STL President Jean-Jacques Beldié received the Guy-Chartrand award, in the Public Transit Development and Improvement category.

For further information:

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