Take a look at Laval's new fleet of electric buses
The Laval Transport Society (STL) has a new fleet of electric buses on the road.
After using hybrid vehicles for almost a decade, 100 per cent of the city's buses will soon be electric, helping citizens get around Laval safely and cleanly. They say it’s a Quebec first.
“What we have is the first large-range electric buses, with a range of 250 kilometres and it's with overnight charging in the garage,” said STL spokesperson Eric Morasse. “It’s the first large-range model in the province of Quebec."
The overnight charging can be complemented with a quick plug-in point at the terminus when the bus docks in between routes, or when the driver takes a break. Morasse said being eco-responsible is part of the STL's vision for the future.
“For the environment, for the quality of our customers, the new electric buses are quiet and less noisy," he said.
Three electric buses are already en route in Laval and seven more will hit the road soon. Each New Flyer-model bus is manufactured in Manitoba and means a reduction of 70 to 80 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year. The STL says they are also saving money on fuel and maintenance costs with the new fleet in place.
"It's a very smooth drive," said driver Marc Lecavalier, who has been on the road for the STL for 12 years. “It's really fun to drive, a lot smoother and quieter than the old buses. The customers like it a lot.”
Lecavalier explained that the rumble of the diesel motor of the older buses made for more vibrations in the vehicle, something he does not miss at all.
“I don't feel the vibration as much as the old buses.”
All the STL buses can lower to the sidewalk to allow mobility-reduced passengers easier access.
The STL wants everyone to be able to get onboard with their public transit and are offering some of the most vulnerable a free ride. Working with three shelters in Laval, they now offer free, accessible transport to disabled women and their children who are fleeing domestic violence. According to Morasse, the campaign is also the first of its kind in the province.
Justine Gendron of the Laval Adapted Transport Association worked with the STL to make this campaign happen. She said it’s the responsible thing to do.
“It's their mission to make sure that every citizen has the right to take transport, has the right to ride in security and to be safe and so I think it's amazing," she said. "But at the same time, I really think it's the mission of the society of transports all around Quebec to make sure that this kind of service is available for all citizens.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.