RTL PRESENTS ITS PLAN DE DÉVELOPPEMENT EN ACCESSIBILITÉ UNIVERSELLE 2021-2026 AND RENEWS SCHOOL TRANSIT AGREEMENTS

Longueuil, September 2, 2021 – The Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) is proud to present its new Plan de développement en accessibilité universelle (PDAU), or universal accessibility development plan, which will cover the period of 2021 to 2026. Under the theme “On prend la route ensemble,” the PDAU, adopted at the Board meeting on September 2, aims to make the entire network accessible to users with diverse needs, pursuant to the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration. Also on the agenda at the Board meeting was the renewal of transit agreements for high school students.

Universal accessibility concerns us all
Developed in the midst of a pandemic and with continuity as an underlying principle, the PDAU involved numerous stakeholders, including community organizations, partners from the integrated health and social services centres, the cities within the Agglomération, and all departments of the RTL. Some 40 concrete measures have been proposed to improve services for people with reduced mobility.

“The upcoming launch of the REM will usher public transit in our region into a new era. Our goal is to ensure that as many people as possible, regardless of their physical condition, are able to use and access our services without issue. This plan is a framework for our actions and, above all, a roadmap for accessibility at all levels of our organization,” said Jonathan Tabarah, Chairman of the RTL Board of Directors.

Toward a 100% accessible network
While people with disabilities, seniors, young families with strollers, and people with temporary limitations stand to benefit the most from the PDAU, the RTL’s universal accessibility measures will be a boon to all network users. As part of its third consecutive plan, the entire organization will work together to implement the 44 priority actions designed to make the RTL’s services more inclusive. These actions correspond to six priority areas:

• Understand, inform, and educate users;
• Adapt tools and integrate new technologies to better inform the target users;
• Aim for a 100% accessible network;
• Make facilities and infrastructure fully accessible, in collaboration with municipal partners;
• Ensure that metropolitan modal transfers and major projects on the territory are based on the concept of universal design;
• Make universal design an organizational culture.

The RTL is convinced that every action taken will play a crucial role in the success of this ambitious project, driven by simplicity, reliability, flexibility, and accessibility. The PDF and accessible versions of the plan are available on the RTL’s website under Press room/Documents (French only).

Renewal of school transit agreements
The RTL also announced the renewal of its transit agreements for high school students from the Marie-Victorin school service centre, the Riverside School Board, and the Des Patriotes school service centre. By serving more than 50% of the students from the Marie-Victorin school service centre, the RTL becomes its main transit provider for the first time.

As such, under these agreements, the RTL will transport 7,075 high school students during the 2021-2022 school year, representing an additional 500 students, or an 8% increase in ridership compared to last school year.

Under these agreements, students will pay a reduced fare and have access to bus lines tailored to their school schedules. They can either use the regular lines or the integrated school lines that will run during peak periods.

For the RTL, these agreements are also a great way to introduce young people to sustainable transit options, thereby reducing our environmental footprint.

About the RTL

The Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) is the main transit provider for individuals within the five cities that comprise the Agglomération de Longueuil. 
The third-largest public transit organization in Québec, the RTL operates a network of 793 kilometres. With some 1,100 employees, the RTL is a major employer that contributes to the economic vitality of the region.

Ever receptive to its users, the RTL plays a key role in the lives of the people and the communities it serves by providing solutions that are efficient, innovative, and adapted to the evolving needs 
of its clientele. Improving quality of life for the citizens of the Agglomération de Longueuil is a top priority for the RTL.