STO increases its services!

Olivier Pilon

The Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) has adopted new practices. Changes to the different STO services will come into effect between June 18 and August 27. Basically, “an investment of over 3.8 million dollars will result in 19,000 hours of additional services,” announced STO President and Councillor, Myriam Nadeau.

The community “considers these record investments in service delivery to our clients”. Previously, the City’s budget for the STO was 1.3 million dollars. This revision of investment is partially due to an update in the transport department’s budget. “This update enables us to do more than our budget had planned for,” admits Ms Nadeau.

It is possible that the STO acquires 100% electric buses in the next few years. “This is one of the provincial department’s orientations in line with its sustainable mobility policy and the STO is working with the urban transport association to have the vehicles tested,” says Ms Nadeau.

Approximately 60% of the investments will benefit the west sectors of the city. Aylmer will see changes to its nine bus routes. A trip starting from Galeries Aylmer will be added to route 49 for the morning peak hours; routes 44 and 46 will offer more constant scheduling than it now have; three additional trips at peak hour for route 59 from Aylmer/Hippodrome bus stop. Interestingly, route 800 services will run from 8 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday. All changes to come are posted on the STO website.

Audrey Bureau, Aylmer District Councillor and STO Vice-President, confirms the addition of bus routes and also additional stops at Rivermead. “A transport cocktail may also be put in place at certain locations where buses are equipped with bike racks.” The Councillor invites Aylmer citizens to write to her directly with their comments on the planned STO changes.

Finally, Ms Bureau says the STO on the feasible plans to improve traffic flow near the Champlain Bridge. Furthermore, riders with limited mobility will have a link between the Galeries Aylmer and the Cégep Gabrielle-Roy via the Plateau and the Hull hospital.

(Trans.: CB)