Transportation for a better life project - Société de transport de Laval Partnering With Fondation Monique-Fitz-Back

LAVAL, QC, April 22, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - In partnership with the Fondation Monique-Fitz-Back, the Société de transport de Laval (STL) is pleased to promote sustainable development among youngsters—for example, by making use of its buses in the Transportation for a better life project. This project is an educational tool designed to provide food for thought and encourage today's youngsters to get involved in responding to the challenges posed by our means of transportation and our transportation habits.

The fourth edition of the project, launched last fall, featured two components:

Educational kit

The educational kit—designed for elementary school students—consists of a workbook and a reference document covering the main transportation-related issues. Unique to Québec, the project increases youngsters' awareness of alternate means of transportation—that is, other than single-occupancy vehicles—and encourages them to get involved by taking part in the search for sustainable mobility solutions for the future.

Drawing contest for elementary school children and advertising posters for college and university students

The drawing contest—The future of transportation: my vision—is intended for elementary schools on the territories covered by the transit corporations in Montréal (including its north- and south-shore suburbs), Laval, Québec City and Lévis. As for the Change the flow of traffic! advertising posters targeting college and university students in Québec, the goal is to prompt 17-25-year-olds to use public transit.

Contest finalists and prize winners will be announced on April 22. Winning drawings and advertising posters will be displayed on the Foundation's website (www.fondationmf.ca). The general public will then have a chance, April 22-30, to vote on their three favourite drawings in the elementary school component of the contest in order to select the winners in the "people's choice awards" (Coup de cœur du public).

In addition, starting in mid-May, the four prize winners of The future of transportation: my vision drawing contest for elementary schools on Montréal/Laval territory will have the opportunity to see their works of art travel around on over 125 STL buses. As for the two advertising posters in the Change the flow of traffic! college and university contest, they will also be on view starting in mid-May, making the rounds of the major cities in Québec, including Laval, at places frequented by the 17-25-year-old target public.

The STL, Facts and Figures

• The STL operates over 20 million trips annually.
  
  
• The STL has rolled out its STL Synchro system, which informs transit users, in real time, about bus schedules and progress along its routes.
  
  
• The overhaul of its bus network, made necessary by the extension of the metro to Laval, gave rise to a 32% increase in service, faster trips, more direct bus routes and an increase in ridership outside rush hours, on evenings and weekends, on 12 routes.
  
  
• The fare policy is aimed at encouraging families to use public transit: an adult paying a regular fare on weekends and holidays may be accompanied by up to five children of 11 years of age or under at no extra charge. This policy also applies to every summer day from July 1 to Labour Day. Moreover, the $1 fare on smog alert days in summer is a first in Québec.
  
  
• The STL has also teamed up with the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique, Communauto and The Carpooling Network, to promote sustainable transportation in Laval.
  
  
• All of the vehicles on the STL's fleet use B5 biodiesel fuel.
  
  
• The STL announces news and service notices on its Facebook and Twitter pages.
  
  
• The STL offers its transit users the opportunity to register on My STL in order to receive notices on the bus routes that they usually take and obtain information on what's new at the STL.
  
  
• Since the introduction of its Vehicle Scheduling Control System in 2009, the STL has increased its on-time performance to nearly 90%.
  
  
• The STL has received a number of awards of distinction, including the Grand Prix for excellence in public transit from the AQTR in 2010, ranking it as an outstanding corporation.
  
  
• In 2011, the STL received the Communication Grand Public award from the AQTR for its Smog Alert program.
  
  
• In May 2012, the STL launched its new service—STL Sustainable Mobility Solution—designed for companies and organizations concerned about finding ways of more efficiently managing their employees' commutes.
  
  
• In May 2012, the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) presented the STL with its Corporate Leadership Award, in the Innovation category, for its CLIC project: carpooling with electric vehicles.
  
  
• In November 2012, the STL signed the Charter on Sustainable Development of the UITP (International Association of Public Transport), as a pledge signatory.
  
  
• In March 2013, the STL became the first public transit corporation in Québec to be certified as a "Healthy Enterprise".
  
  

SOURCE: Société de transport de Laval

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