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    1. Management

    Semaine québécoise des personnes handicapées : An STM transit network for all

    June 7, 2022
    STM is highlighting the accessibility of its transit system for the Québec Week of the Disabled.
    Related To: Societe de transport de Montreal (STM)
    STM
    Stm Back Up 629f64d7970ae

    For the Semaine québécoise des personnes handicapées (Québec Week of the Disabled), the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is holding an awareness day to promote the inclusion of people with functional limitations in public transit.

    “The STM has a wide range of infrastructure and equipment in place and is rolling out tools to improve universal accessibility in its bus and métro networks, as well as to promote their use by customers with functional limitations to meet all their travel needs,” said Laurence Parent, vice-chair of the STM Board of Directors. “The goal of this awareness day is to showcase what the STM is doing in terms of accessibility, but also to identify any areas that need improvement.”

    Universal accessibility trip in pairs

    To highlight the day, the STM paired customers and employees with people with functional limitations. They then guided the customers through an accessible trip on public transit. This initiative aimed to bring to light the accessibility measures on buses and métro, but also the actions that can prevent obstacles from affecting the trips of customers.

    These experiences were shared in a video and are available on STM's Youtube channel in French.

    Highlights of universal accessibility measures

    The main universal accessibility measures put in place by the STM:

    • 19 métro stations are universally accessible and 11 worksites are in progress.
    • 85 percent of buses are equipped with ramps at the front, with a goal of 100 percent for 2024.
    • Schedules for buses with a front ramp can also be viewed on desktop and mobile websites, as well as text message, iPhone and Android apps (Chrono and Transit), the phone and passenger information terminals.
    • Buses purchased have two wheelchair spaces.
    • Visual and audio announcements of upcoming stops are now implemented in all the buses of the STM network.
    • AZUR train posts are now easily identifiable with Safety Yellow, as are the first and last steps of the staircases.
    • Different colored lights are installed on both sides of AZUR train doors: open or about to open (green), closed or about to close (red).
    • The Inclusive Mobility learning program is permanently established for people with functional limitations: instruction provided to 60 customers in 2021, with a goal of 150 for 2022.
    • Audio function on fare vending machines and recharge stations are available in métro stations, allowing people with visual impairments and reading difficulties to purchase fares autonomously.