Looking Back

Before 1970

• Public transportation is provided by the private sector.

1970s

1971

• The Outaouais Regional Community Transit Commission (CTCRO) is created.

1972

• The symbol and colours that still represent the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) today are adopted.
• The shares of the three public transit companies operating in the area, which are Hull City Transport, Transport Hull métropolitain and Transport d’écoliers du nord de l’Outaouais, are acquired.

1973

• The agreement on inter-provincial transportation is introduced, ensuring that transfers are interchangeable between the STO and OC Transpo.

1974

• The very first reserved bus lane in the province of Quebec is inaugurated on Gréber.

1977

• The STO’s administration centre at 111 Jean-Proulx is inaugurated.
• The Information service is created.

1980

• The monthly Passe-Partout bus pass made of paper is introduced.

1981

• The Commission awards the contract to provide transportation for persons with disabilities.
• School transportation is discontinued.

1984

• The seven-member Commission is formed, comprising the chairperson of the Outaouais Regional Community (CRO) and one representative from each of the six municipalities served.
• Constance Provost becomes the first chairwoman of the CTCRO.

1985

• The Sagepas (Système automatisé pour la gestion du parc autobus), an automated system for managing the bus fleet, is developed and implemented.

1986

• The Infobus system is introduced that allows riders to call a number to obtain the exact arrival times for the next two buses at a given stop.

1987

• Paper money and pennies are abolished as a payment method.

1991

• Bill 110 takes effect, granting the Société more autonomy, changing the name to the Société de transport de l’Outaouais, and adopting the STO’s new signature.
• Reserved lanes for buses, carpooling and taxis are introduced on Maisonneuve in Hull.

1994

• The Jean-René Monette terminus and park-and-ride facilities are built in Gatineau.
• The Plan intégré des réseaux routier et de transport en commun (comprehensive development plan for rural road networks and public transit) is submitted.

1995

• The first User’s Guide with the schedules for all bus routes is introduced.
• Georges O. Gratton, becomes General Manager, replacing Antoine Grégoire.
• Jacques Lareau, Mayor of Buckingham, replaces Constance Provost as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
• Inter-provincial reserved lanes are introduced on the Portage Bridge.

1996

• The STO celebrates its 25th anniversary.
• The Gréber-Fournier reserved lane is constructed.
• Route 21, the Casino route, is introduced to serve the Casino de Hull and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

1997

• The Rivermead Park-and-Ride in Aylmer and the Encan Park-and-Ride in Masson-Angers are inaugurated.

1998

• The STO is named the country’s mass transit system of the year at the annual conference of the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA).
• The smart card is gradually introduced among certain groups of riders.

1999

• Claude Bonhomme, City Councillor for Hull, is named the new Chairman of the STO’s Board of Directors, replacing Jacques Lareau.
• The STO is named the official carrier for the Games of La Francophonie 2001.
• The STO sets up an extensive shuttle service for the evening of December 31 to take spectators to the Harmony 2000 show at the Casino de Hull and the festivities on Parliament Hill. The STO carries close to 20,000 passengers during the evening.

2000

• Transport Quebec honours the STO with the Orange award to highlight the excellent services offered.

2001

• The third section of the Rivermead Park-and-Ride in Aylmer is completed.
• The conclusions on the update to the Regional and Interprovincial Rapid Transit System Feasibility Study are presented.
• The Passe-temps, a new one-day bus pass, is created for tourists and occasional riders.
• The STO co-ordinates the transportation logistics and provides travel for spectators, some 5,000 participants, heads of delegations and dignitaries, volunteers and media representatives for the Games of La Francophonie in the Hull-Ottawa region.
• The city council of the new City of Gatineau appoints five representatives to sit on the Board of Directors of the Société de transport de l’Outaouais, effective January 2002.
• Lawrence Cannon is named Chairman of the STO, replacing Claude Bonhomme.

2002

• The STO inaugurates a new customer service point at Les Promenades shopping centre.
• The City of Gatineau appoints a representative for regular public transit patrons, Pierre Benoît, and a representative for paratransit patrons, André Sanche, to the STO’s Board of Directors.
• The STO tests a hybrid electric bus with passengers.
• The first low-floor buses are added to the system.
• The STO introduces the FIDÉLITÉ Program with pre-authorized debit payments for regular public transit patrons.

2003

• The STO holds the first public consultation for the Rapibus.
• Pierre Philion is named Vice-Chairman, and Thérèse Cyr is named a member of the Board of Directors, replacing Luc Montreuil.

2004

• The detailed feasibility study for the Rapibus is adopted by the STO’s Board of Directors.
• The STO is the first public transit corporation in Quebec to offer its drivers the SmartDriver program designed to teach driving techniques to decrease fuel consumption.
• Georges O. Gratton’s mandate as the General Manager of the STO is renewed.
• The STO participates in the first international “In Town, Without My Car!” day in Gatineau.
• The first InfoPlus variable message signs are installed to show when buses will be passing in real time.
• The Customer Service Technical Committee (now the Customer Relations Technical Committee) is created to give a voice to public transit riders in the Outaouais.
• Use of the paper monthly pass on the STO’s system is permanently discontinued.

2005

• The new Freeman Park-and-Ride in the Hull sector is inaugurated.
• Les Promenades terminus is reconstructed.
• The STO hosts the CUTA conference, which is held in Gatineau for the first time.
• The STO receives a national award for its arrangements along Alexandre-Taché.
• Louise Poirier becomes Chairwoman of the STO in November, replacing Lawrence Cannon.
• The STO forms the Club Sélect to recognize the exemplary road safety driving records of bus drivers.

2006

• The STO’s new General Manager, Marie-Josée Bédard, takes office, replacing Georges O. Gratton.
• The new Hippodrome Aylmer Park-and-Ride is inaugurated.
• The new St-Dominique Park-and-Ride in the Hull sector is inaugurated.
• The UQO Forfait Cam Puce pass pilot project is launched among full-time students at the Université du Québec en Outaouais.

2007

• The STO launches an accessible services pilot project for people with reduced mobility.
• The Rapibus project obtains funding from the Quebec government and the City of Gatineau.
• The STO launches the LIGNE VERTE, its green bus route, as part of the Urban Transportation Showcase Program (UTSP).
• The STO acquires the first two hybrid diesel-electric buses in Quebec.

2008

• The STO receives the Exceptional Achievement award for its User’s Guide from the Association de transport urbain du Québec (ATUQ).
• The STO awards the Rapibus project management mandate to Pomerleau Inc.
• Patrice Martin is named Chairman of the STO, replacing Louise Poirier.
• Michel Brissette is named General Manager of the STO, replacing Marie-Josée Bédard.
• Line Thiffeault is named Assistant General Manager of the STO, replacing Michel Brissette.

2009

• The Outaouais (STO) and Montreal (STM) transit corporations unveil the promising results of the Urban Transportation Showcase Program (UTSP).
• The Quebec government confirms full completion of the Rapibus.
• The STO breaks the ground in the symbolic sod turning to announce the start of construction on the Rapibus.
• The STO acquires buses with an access ramp that can accommodate wheelchair users on the regular system.

2010

• The STO unveils its new Web site dedicated exclusively to the Rapibus.
• The Family fare offering inexpensive travel for families is introduced.
• The STO is the official carrier for the 45th Quebec Games in 2010.
• The STO launches Plani-Bus, the personal trip planner. 
•  ZAP, a new monthly pass for youth aged 12 to 16, is launched.
• Services are enhanced to provide an even more accessible system for people with reduced mobility and in wheelchairs.

2011

• The STO holds two town hall sessions regarding Rapibus construction in the Lac Beauchamp Park sector.
• An open house consultation is held as part of the Feasibility study for lanes with an exclusive right-of-way for rapid transit in the western part of Gatineau.
• The STO opens its doors to the public for its 40th birthday.
• The contract for acquiring and formatting the 2nd generation smart card is awarded.
• The collective agreement for professional and office employees is renewed.
• The Allumettières terminus and incentive parking facility is opened.
• The STO unveils a bus decorated for the Fondation du Cégep de l’Outaouais.
• The STO makes accessibility is a high priority with the adoption of the accessible public transit development program.
• The update to the 2005-2015 Strategic Plan is submitted.
• The STO surpasses the mark of 20 million trips on its system.

2012

• The new sto.ca goes on-line to offer personalized information to meet the needs of public transit riders.
• The first Québec Policy Respecting Public Transit from ATUQ has very positive results for the STO.
• The main aspects and features of the future Rapibus system are presented on the libreauquotidien.sto.ca microsite.
• The STO offers riders greater comfort by adding articulated buses to different routes.
• A very realistic 3D animation of the Rapibus is unveiled on rapibus.sto.ca.
• The collective agreement for first-level managers is renewed.
• The STO innovates again with its new high-tech smart card, the MULTI.
• The STO is nationally recognized and receives awards from two respected mass transit associations.