New STL shared taxi route serving employees and customers in the Val-des-Brises commercial district

The Société de transport de Laval (STL) has partnered with Taxelco to operate a new shared taxi service connecting the Vimont neighborhood and the Val-des-Brises commercial district.

The new route, which is part of a pilot project, will serve the employees of close to 70 businesses in the area east of Highway 19 and north of Highway 440 while providing riders with a new transit option.

"In recent years, Laval has grown to position itself as a thriving economic hub in the region. With that growth, however, comes greater demand for mobility from both employees and customers who must travel to different parts of the city for shopping, leisure or other activities. That's why the STL is working hard to tailor its service to the needs of all Laval residents," said Jocelyne Frédéric-Gauthier, chair of the STL Board of Directors.

"In Laval, there are a number of such isolated areas that have a need for transit service. So, one of our goals is to work with partners and residents to improve mobility across the city. And that's exactly what we're doing in Val-des-Brises to meet the needs of area businesses that approached us earlier this year. I would like to take this opportunity to extend a special thank you to all stakeholders who actively contributed to project meetings," said Guy Picard, general manager of the STL.

T48 route and schedule

The shared taxi service, offered alongside the STL's bus service, makes it easier for riders to reach less popular areas or streets that are more difficult for buses to access.

Like a bus service, the T48 regular shared taxi service will have a set route and will operate every 30 minutes for most of the day, on a seven-day-a-week schedule. The service will be offered between 4:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and between 4:40 a.m. and 5:10 p.m. on weekends. The shared taxi route starts at Dagenais and Rue Paradis just east of Boulevard des Laurentides, and ends at Boulevard Robert-Bourassa and Avenue des Gouverneurs close to Highway 440.

"Shared taxi T48 will be running on a trial basis for one year. We will adjust the service based on ridership numbers, which are a reflection of people's interest in the new transit option," added Frédéric-Gauthier.

Transfers

Shared taxi route T48 is the latest addition to the 17 shared taxi routes currently operated by the STL. It will connect with regular bus routes 17, 31, 73, 74 at Dagenais and Des Laurentides (Paradis) and routes 27, 39, 41, 43 at Dagenais and René-Laennec.

Payment

When boarding, riders must show their OPUS cards to the driver. Payment by cash or credit card is not accepted aboard the vehicles.