The STL is a finalist for the Quebec Public Administration Institute's 2013 award of Excellence!

LAVAL, QC, Oct. 17, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ — The Société de transport de Laval (STL) is proud to announce that its operational support and user information system for paratransit (SAIEV) has passed all the primary steps and is now a finalist for the 2013 Quebec Public Administration Institute (Institut d'administration publique du Québec) Excellence award in the "e-Government" category (Gouvernement en ligne).

Sylvain Yelle, Senior Director of Operations is very proud to see that this project has been shortlisted for the excellence award. He also highlighted the important work done by the STL's adapted transportation team in the development and implementation of the SAEIV program by adding: "Behind all the technology and the complex systems that are designed to send real time information to clients and drivers of the SAEIV system, it is the human solution first and foremost that has allowed us to improve quality of life and increase the social inclusion of people who rely on adapted transportation."

Major advances
SAEIV has allowed the STL to make major advances in increased efficiency through real time regulation, route optimization, calling clients the evening before to confirm travel plans and to re-schedule cancelled pickups as well as by sending automated calls to announce the impending arrival of the vehicle.

Since its implementation in November 2012, the system has reduced stoppage time by 30% by sending a notification call to clients waiting for the bus. Same day cancellations were also reduced by making the adapted transportation system even more efficient. These are significant advances for the STL, making them better able to meet punctuality objectives and by reducing waiting times while improving performance.

Last May, the STL took home an excellence award for the SAEIV program from the Quebec Transportations Association (Association Québécoise des Transports) who awarded them the 2013 Coup de cœur prize. The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) also awarded the STL with the Innovation Award at their annual congress in June.

On November 27, the STL will find out whether it has won the AIPQ's excellence award for developing and implementing the SAEIV system.

For its thousands of users and the bus drivers who provide adapted transportations services, SAEIV has become an essential part of their lives and from this perspective, it is already a winner.

The STL, taking action

• The STL is responsible for over 20 million trips annually.
• The STL has rolled out the STL Synchro system to keep its clients informed in real time about its schedules and buses.
• The STL's fare policy is geared to encourage families to use public transit: an adult who pays a regular fare during the week or on statutory holidays can be accompanied by up to five children under the age of 12 for free. This policy is also applicable on smog days between July 1^st and Labour Day. The $1 reduced fare on smog days during the summer period is a first in Quebec.
• The STL has partnered with the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique, Communauto and the Réseau de covoiturage to encourage the use of sustainable transportation in Laval.
• We are using our Facebook and Twitter accounts to share our news and travel notices.
• We created My STL to offer our clients the opportunity to receive updates about their regular bus lines and to find out what's new at the STL.
• Since the launch of our Operational support and user information system in 2009, we have increased our punctuality rate to nearly 90 %.
• The STL has received several awards and distinctions including the AQTr'S Grand prix d'excellence en transport en commun in 2010, which solidified our reputation for excellence.
• In 2011, the STL took the AQTr Communication Grand Public prize for its Smog alert program.
• In May 2012, the STL received the CUTA Prix de leadership des entreprises in the Innovation category for the CLIC carpooling project.
• In May 2013, the AQTr awarded the STL their Coup de cœur du jury d'honneur award for two projects: The Operational support and user information system for paratransit (SAIEV) and CLIC the electric carpooling project launched in conjunction with the AMT.
• In June 2013, CUTA honoured the STL with two Corporate Leadership Awards: one in the Innovation category for our Operational support and user information system for paratransit (SAIEV) and the other in the Marketing and Communications category for the "Let's Develop Together" contest!
• In May 2012, the STL launched its new STL Sustainable mobility solution for businesses and organizations that are conscious of managing the travels of their employees more efficiently.
• In November 2012, the STL signed the International Union of Public Transport's (IUPT) Charter on Sustainable Development.
• In March 2013, the STL became the first transportation company in Quebec to be a certified "Healthy Enterprise"!

SOURCE: Société de transport de Laval

For further information:

Marie-Céline Bourgault
Communications and marketing Director
Société de transport de Laval
450 662-5429
[e-mail]