Kudos

2010
STO Employee Honoured with a National Award

The Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) was in the national spotlight as one of its employees was honoured at the public transit employee recognition awards given out by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA). Guy Langlois, assistant maintenance manager, received the honour in November 2010 at CUTA’s fall conference in Vancouver. The award was presented in the Distinguished Service category and is given out each year to individuals who have made a significant contribution to public transit through leadership, workplace improvement initiatives, or policy or legislative initiatives. This distinction reflects on a skilled team that makes the STO an extremely credible organization and an employer recognized for the quality of its work force.

2010
Maintenance team honoured by ATUQ

At the annual conference of the Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ), the STO’s Maintenance team was presented with an award of recognition for its innovative maintenance of the air-conditioning systems. Congratulations to the team of 14 employees for this superb work place innovation, which has become a target for many other transit corporations. This is yet another example of the superb ingenuity of our maintenance team! The photo shows STO Chairman Patrice Martin, with Sylvain Plouffe, mechanic, and Daniel Gendron, foreman and training instructor.

2009
An STO employee honoured by CUTA

Bus driver Luc Champagne received one of the national public transit employee recognition awards in the Distinguished Service category at the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) conference in Montreal in November 2009. This award is presented to individuals who have made a significant contribution to public transit through advocacy, leadership, workplace improvement initiatives, or policy or legislative initiatives. The photo shows STO General Manager Michel Brissette, recipient Luc Champagne and Assistant General Manager Line Thiffeault.

2009
The STO’s Club Sélect honoured by ATUQ

The STO’s Club Sélect was given the Exceptional Achievement award presented by the Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ) at its annual conference in September 2009. For the occasion, Richard Beausoleil, Jacques Jolicoeur and Michel Lavoie, drivers and members in Club Sélect’s Gold category, were nominated to collect the award. Now in its fifth year, Club Sélect aims primarily to recognize bus drivers who have an exemplary driving record of 25 years or more without an avoidable accident. The photo shows STO Chairman Patrice Martin; bus drivers Richard Beausoleil, Jacques Jolicoeur and Michel Lavoie; STO General Manager Michel Brissette and Assistant Operations Manager Robert Lapointe.

2008
National Recognition for Another STO Employee!

On Tuesday, November 11, 2008, Robert Lapointe was honoured with a Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA). Mr. Lapointe is the Assistant to the Director of Operations. The STO is proud to have an employee on its team who is recognized for his sense of leadership and initiative. He received this award for his exceptional contribution to public transit over the past 30 years. The STO would like to congratulate and thank Mr. Lapointe for being such a good ambassador for public transit. The photo shows Robert Lapointe, Assistant to the Director of Operations, in the centre with STO Chairman Patrice Martin on his right and STO General Manager Michel Brissette on his left. They are surrounded by a few members of the Board of Directors, along with several STO executives.

2008
The STO Receives an Award from the ATUQ for the User's Guide

In October 2008, the Association du transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ) gave the STO an "Exceptional Achievement" award for its User's Guide. More than 86% of public transit riders refer to it to learn more about the bus routes! Mr. Martin highlighted the excellent work accomplished by the STO's team of employees who contribute to the Guide year after year: "With 67,000 copies printed annually and a summer edition of 35,000 copies, the User's Guide ensures our riders are on the right bus route every day! Thank you and congratulations to the entire team at the STO for this well-deserved award!". The photo shows the employees who contributed to the success of the 2008 User's Guide.

2008
The STO Receives an Award from Centraide Outaouais

The STO received an award of excellence in the "Global Support" category from Centraide Outaouais at its annual recognition evening, Un bouquet de mercis, on April 22, 2008. This reception pays tribute to everyone who makes an ongoing effort to improve the well-being of fellow citizens. The STO's candidacy was retained after an extraordinary employee campaign and an increase of 50% over the total donations collected in 2006, with a contribution from employees that practically doubled, and support from both management and the union through concrete, creative methods and a dynamic committee to promote the campaign. Moreover, all efforts made by the STO's employees were beneficial and contributed to the well-being of our community. From left to right in the photo: Ms. Lucie Plouffe, Human Resources Manager; Ms. Nathalie-Josée Sarault, Human Resources Management Advisor; Mr. Pierre-Luc Mongeon, Labour Relations and OHS Advisor; Mr. Fernand Richard, Performance Quality Supervisor, and Mr. Pierre Archambault, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Centraide Outaouais.

2007
An STO Employee Receives National Recognition

On November 14, 2007, in Quebec City, the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) presented its national recognition awards. The STO is proud to have one of its employees among the recipients. The winner of the national Distinguished Service Award recognizing employees was given to Fernand Richard, performance quality supervisor. He was presented the award in recognition of his significant contribution in developing the working environment of city bus drivers by making many improvements that enhanced the quality of life and ergonomic aspect of this job. The STO would like to congratulate Mr. Richard on his award and for his contribution to public transit in the Outaouais.

2007
Clean Air Day Award 2007
Presented to the STO

On June 27, 2007, on behalf of the Clean Air Day Steering Committee, Nicole Desroches, Executive Director of the Conseil régional de l'environnement et du développement durable de l'Outaouais (CREDDO) presented the Clean Air Day Award to the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) for its outstanding contribution to promoting clean air through implementation of the Fidélité Program. This pre-authorized debit payment program makes using the bus more economical and convenient by increasing rider loyalty to public transit and by enabling riders to enjoy considerable savings when they purchase an annual pass.

2006
Info Plus receives another honour:
The AQTR gives the STO a national award

The Association québécoise du transport et des routes (AQTR) recently presented the STO and Roche Ltd, Consulting Group with an award of excellence in the technology innovation category for implementation of the Info Plus variable message system. This national award recognizes projects that use new technologies to improve mass transit services. The photo shows Mr. Georges Gratton, the STO's General Manager at the awards ceremony; Mr. Michel Després, Quebec Minister of Transport; Mr. Salah Barj, Director of Planning and Development at the STO; Mr. Martin Choinière from Roche Ltd, Consulting Group and Mr. François Plourde, Chairman of the AQTR.

2006
The STO Receives the Ovation Award from Outaouais Tourism

The STO was very proud to be recognized by Outaouais Tourism as the public tourism company of the year at the 21st gala of the Grands Prix du tourisme de l'Outaouais that took place on March 18, 2006, at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel. The Ovation award highlights the STO's exceptional contribution to ensuring public mobility to the many activities and major tourism events in the region. The photo shows Ms. Louise Poirier, the STO's Chairwoman, Ms. Renée Lafrenière, Chief of Customer Relations, and Mr. Georges O. Gratton, General Manager of the STO.

2003
The STO receives CUTA's Innovation award

At its Annual Conference held in Winnipeg from May 31 to June 4, 2003, as part of its National Corporate Transit Awards, the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) presented the STO with a National Recognition Award for Innovation highlighting its outstanding pre-authorized debit payment plan, the Programme Fidélité. The STO is a pioneer in this field as the first transit corporation in Canada to offer smart card technology in a wide-spread application, with its innovative and noteworthy Programme Fidélité that allows smart card holders to purchase an annual public transit pass by means of monthly debit payment. The photo shows Mr. Georges O. Gratton, General Manager of the STO, Ms. Renée Lafrenière, Chief of Customer Relations, and Mr. Lawrence Cannon, Chairman of the STO, at the awards ceremony.

2003
Another honour for the STO's General Manager!

The Outaouais chamber of commerce and industry (CCIO) has named Georges O. Gratton, General Manager of the STO, the person of the month for February. This is a well-earned honour that reflects on the entire team at the STO. Congratulations!

2002
STO Honoured by the Association québécoise du transport et des routes

The STO became the proud recipient of a Prix AQTR Environnement 2002 —education and awareness category— when it was honoured by the Association québécoise du transport et des routes (AQTR) at its annual congress on April 9, 2002. This award, the purpose of which is to highlight the excellence of an educational or awareness activity in the area of transportation and the environment, was given in recognition of the STO's awareness campaign for the implementation and operation of the reserved lane of the Portage Bridge in the fall of 1995.

Georges O. Gratton, General Manager of the STO, was rewarded with a "Manager of the Year - Quasi-Public Sector" award at the annual Gala du Regroupement des Gens d'Affaires (RGA) of the national capital. The purpose of the Gala, which took place on Saturday, April 12, 2002 at the Ottawa Congress Centre, is to highlight the excellence of business people who distinguish themselves through their dynamism and innovativeness. Mr. Gratton, who has been at the helm of the STO since 1995, has introduced several initiatives designed to enhance the accessibility and convenience of public transportation for its riders. Since the beginning of his mandate, the STO has experienced an astounding 5.4% increase in its average ridership, including a peak of 10.5% in 2001. This was a Canadian record. The STO congratulates Mr. Gratton for this honor!

The STO received this national distinction for the quality of the French in communications related to implementing the smart card on its bus system.

The Outaouais chambre of commerce and industry awarded the STO with the Distinction d'Excellence des Institutions for 2001 at its annual Gala in November.

Recognized for the quality of its French in its public communications related to implementation of the smart card, the STO was featured in an infomercial published in seven daily papers across the province of Quebec in November.

Transport 2000 Quebec recognized the STO's various achievements by bestowing it the Orange award in January 2000. This award recognizes the excellent services offered by the STO, the competence of its human resources and administrative process, the quality of its customer service and its exceptional performance with respect to ridership.

This recognition highlights the STO's involvement in the community. The award was handed out at a softball tournament organized by employees to help the Bébé-bonheur organization.

In June 1998, the Société de transport de l'Outaouais received a national award as Canada's Transit System of the Year, granted by the Canadian Urban Transit Association. This is the highest honour that can be bestowed in the Canadian urban transit industry.

Finalist for the 1997 Prix d'excellence granted by the Outaouais chamber of commerce and industry.