Today, the Société de transport de Laval (STL) and Desjardins Group, in the presence of the Mayor of Laval, Mr. Marc Demers, announced the implementation of a new pilot project to accept credit card payments by Visa or MasterCard onboard Laval buses. These two leading Quebec companies have joined forces to bring this innovative project to life as of Friday April 21 on six of the STL’s bus routes: 20, 39, 48, 60, 63 and 73. The STL is the first public transit company in Canada to test onboard fare payment by credit card (single fares).
The technology used is a contactless payment terminal similar to those found in most retailers across Canada. This Monetico payment solution, developed by Desjardins, allows for instant payment by simply tapping your card on the terminal. No swiping, inserting or personal identification numbers are required. This new credit card payment option is available for single fares, in addition to the traditional cash payment and the advance purchase of fares. This convenient solution will allow occasional riders of public transit to save time, not having to plan for exact change or to purchase fares in advance.
“For the STL, innovation is a core principle. It is deeply rooted in the way they conduct business” says Marc Demers, Mayor of Laval. “Public transportation is a major vector for the development of Laval and we are proud to support this type of experiment at the STL. It improves the public transit offer for Laval residents and everyone who comes to visit us.”
“Simple, safe and fast, this new payment option fills the needs of our riders who don’t always have the exact change or time to purchase fares. We hope this new initiative will attract new clients and convince our occasional riders to take public transportation more often and make it a part of their daily travel routine”, adds David DeCotis, President of the STL’s Board of Directors. “Contactless payment is a growing trend in public transportation around the world. We are proud of this partnership with Desjardins, who share our desire to actively contribute to the advancement of technology and at the same time, our respective industries.” concludes De Cotis.
“We are happy to be partnering with the STL to provide its clients with a payment experience that meets modern expectations and that contributes to broadening the payment offer for the public transportation industry," says André Chatelain, Executive Vice-President, Personal Services, Payments and Desjardins Group Marketing. “As one of the global leaders in payment systems, Desjardins is expecting this innovation, a first in Canada, to mark a major milestone in the integration of contactless payment into the various modes of transportation in this country.”
The results of this trial will be shared with the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) and with Quebec’s other public transportation companies.
About the Société de transport de Laval
The Société de transport de Laval (STL) develops and operates an integrated network of buses, school bus routes, collective taxi and paratransit services, covering a total of 20 million trips per year. The STL’s regular bus network includes 45 buses, more than 2,700 bus stops with service to over 1,400 km across Laval. The STL is one of the most innovative companies in North America thanks to projects that include the first 40-foot 100% electric bus in Quebec, in service since 2013, and its real time user information system, which provides, since 2010, information to clients in real time on the location of all the buses on its network. In 2017, the STL launched the STL Quality Commitment Program, the first customer service guarantee of its kind in Canada.
About Desjardins Group
Desjardins Group is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets close to $260 billion. It has been rated one of the Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Counted among the world’s strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry. About Monetico Monetico is the result of a commitment by two major institutions, Desjardins Group in Canada and Crédit Mutuel in France, with shared cooperative and mutualist values. Their goal is to prioritize the interests of merchants by creating a range of solutions geared to both local entrepreneurs and largescale, international businesses.
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