Laval transit (STL) bucks the trend, cuts bus fares
Single-ticket rate reduced by 17%, free passage for children on holidays and weekends, and a 60% ticket-reduction on smog days: the Société de Transport de Laval (STL) is going to great lengths to attract more riders.
In fact, a single-ticket drops to $2.50 from $3.00, a 17% saving. A block of 8 tickets will cost $18 instead of $21, a 14% reduction.
A paying adult can be accompanied by a maximum of three children 11 and under who will get a free ride on holidays and weekends.
And, on smog alert days between June 1st and Labour Day, bus rides will only cost a dollar.
To this end, there will be collaboration between the STL and the Info-Smog Program that issues continuous assessments of air quality in the metropolitan region.
Improving service
The announcement for increased service, made by STL chairman Jean-Jacques Beldie, foresees an increase of 2.7%, as of January. The result: an increase in bus frequency that will be added to the 16% that was brought in with the metro last April.
The fare reduction is the second part of the STL strategy, added to the improvement of services necessitated by the arrival of the metro, according to Pierre-Giard, STL director-general.
"With the arrival of the metro, service improvement was a given," explains Mr. Giard.
"When the metro came, we could have reduced service, but that's not what we did. We opted instead for a redeployment of the network, articulated around the new stations, with six additional routes and increased frequency. To this was added the development of the Concorde/Notre Dame axis which recently introduced reserved bus lanes."
Occasional users
The three measures regarding fares, which will come into effect on January 1, 2008, target primarily occasional users who don't usually buy monthly passes, opting for single or block tickets at regular prices instead. The cost of a monthly pass will rise because of inflation.
"We won't be preaching to the converted who are already regular users of monthly passes," notes director-general Giard.
Regular fares 2008
Cash
2007: $3 2008: $2.50
8 tickets
2007: $21 2008: $18.
Autobus Laval Monthly Pass
2007: $72.50 2008: $74
TRAM3
2007: $103 2008: $105
Single metro ticket
2007: $2.75 2008: $2.75
Source STL and STM
Photo:AutobusII
Météo: Laval, 6 juillet 2008 / 25°C
/ Généralement dégagé
/ Vents: 11 Km/h / Humidité relative: 44 % 
Steven Guilbeault - 
