MONTREAL – Boosting transit ridership is a good way to improve the environment. Some of the ways to do that are to make it more enjoyable to get out of the car and ride the bus. Innovation is needed to achieve that goal. “Building on our culture of innovation and our strong relationship with Quebecers, these digital bus shelters, which will be installed across the Island of Montréal, are certain to please users of mass transit, visitors and advertisers alike,” said Robert Dépatie, President and CEO of Quebecor Media. “The powerful, user-friendly technological platform we have created will also unable us to upgrade the product over time and steadily improve the fixtures seen on Montréal streets.”
Transit in Montreal Moves Forward
Quebecor Media and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) have announced a world’s first in street furniture that will benefit all Montrealers and visitors to the city: 84-inch (2.1-metre) interactive digital transit shelters featuring gesture recognition. The new state-of-the-art shelters will bolster Quebecor Media’s positioning as the market leader, enhance the commuter experience for STM clients, and help advertisers reach their target audiences more effectively.
Thunder Bay Transit has offered some innovation. Bike racks on the buses for example offer transit riders a means of combining their ride with their self propelled transportation.
One of the issues is knowing when the bus will be there. In Thunder Bay, Next Bus on a smartphone offers a way for transit riders to know when the bus is there.
However the signs that Thunder Bay Transit displays at Intercity Mall, and the Water Street Station can be very difficult to read. At Intercity Mall during the day, the sign is almost impossible to read.
If you have ever tired calling the Transit system telephone number on each Transit sign it can be very frustrating. Perhaps what is needed in Thunder Bay would be for transit managers to get out of their cars or trucks and ride the bus for a month.
Innovation in Montreal
“This long-term agreement is the result of a rigorous call for expressions of interest process,” said Michel Labrecque, Chairman of the Board of the STM. “We will draw on Quebecor’s energy, dynamism and capacity for innovation to replace our transit shelters, keep them clean and in good condition, keep commuters better informed and increase our non-fare revenues. We are very pleased with this business partnership, which has been established in collaboration with our commercial arm, Transgesco, and we welcome Quebecor’s socially responsible commitment to mass transit and to our clients.”
+ Tech
In September 2013, Quebecor Media will install some 40 digital shelters, custom designed by and for Quebecers, across the Island of Montréal. STM users and all Montrealers will be able to consult bus schedules, see a detailed map of the bus and metro system, catch up on the latest news and see the weather forecast.
The public will also benefit from the infinite creative possibilities that these interactive vehicles will open up for advertisers. Capabilities such as the ability to interact close-up with customers in their environment, to screen videos, to offer discounts or to sell concert tickets make the digital transit shelter a major innovation.
+ Design
In addition to pushing the bus shelter envelope, Quebecor Media has undertaken to add 850 transit shelters to the existing network and to replace all of the approximately 1,870 shelters under its responsibility by 2023. During the current year, Quebecor Media will install 200 transit shelters in all parts of the city, including 40 digital shelters. The complete design, developed by the Leblanc + Turcotte + Spooner consortium, winners of a contest organized by Design Montréal, strikingly reflects Montréal’s identity.
+ Clean
In keeping with Quebecor Media’s focus on offering both users and advertisers the best product, the shelters will be maintained in accordance with the highest industry standards, resulting in more beautiful city streets. In mid-July, Quebecor Media will launch the Clean + program: commuters will be able to report a shelter in need of special attention by dialling 514-227-4287 (514-ABRIBUS) and the situation will be assessed within 48 hours. The program will contribute to improving the look and cleanliness of Montréal’s street furniture.
Quebecor Media was selected following an invitation to tender to install, maintain and advertise on Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus shelters for the next 20 years. It is a major move by Quebecor Media into a line of business that is experiencing significant technological change.
For more information about the new bus shelters, visit http://abribus.ca.
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