Case Study: Montreal Transit Authority AMT Relies On Motorola RFID Technology To Help Increase Customer Satisfaction And Expand Use Of Public Transit

The Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) is a government agency for metropolitan transportation accountable to the Québec Minister of Transport. Its territory covers 83 municipalities in the metropolitan region of Montreal. AMT's mission is to expand public transit services in order to improve the efficiency of individual travel in the metropolitan Montréal area. To do so, AMT operates 5 commuter train lines, 2 metropolitan express buses, 16 terminals, 85 km of reserved lanes and 61 park-and-ride lots. The AMT is also planning, coordinating, integrating and promoting public transit services in close collaboration with its partners.

The challenge: Expanding bus ridership through improved services
Over the past decade, the greater Montreal area has transformed, bringing new issues and challenges to the region's transit system. The area's economy and population are expanding, and one result is a significant growth in travel to and from the metro area. Increased use of public transit can help reduce bridge and road congestion among other benefits, and AMT is charged with encouraging the public to use buses rather than private vehicles.

Already, many daily commuters and other users of the transit system arrive via subway at Montreal's bus terminals. However, in the region's harsh winters, waiting outdoors for a bus can be an ordeal, and buses are sometimes delayed. To address the negative perception of an uncomfortable commute and to promote bus usage, AMT considered innovative new approaches to transportation management.