My Alerts Montréal, September 6, 2012 – The Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) has unveiled the programming for the 10th edition of In Town Without My Car which will be held on September 21st and 22nd, 2012. To change things up, the event will be held in the Old Port of Montreal this year. The public will be able to take part thanks to a gamut of activities, including the TranspoCamp and a brand new blog to share experiences in public and active transit all year long.
"I’m thrilled to see that citizens are increasingly adopting alternate modes of transportation," affirmed Paul Côté, AMT President and CEO (interim). "The figures show that between 2003 and 2011, the number of monthly TRAM passes sold per year rose by 30%, occupancy rates in the AMT’s park-and-ride lots increased by 40%, metropolitan express bus ridership doubled and the number of people entering the metro rose by 14%. After all these years of awareness, inspiring campaigns and events like In Town Without My Car, we have to sustain this positive momentum."
"I’ve watched In Town Without My Car and alternative modes of transport evolve for ten years now," stated Sébastien Plante, spokesperson for the event. "I’m really pleased to see that things are changing and that solutions like electric cars are now within our grasp. And I’m very happy that after having been spokesperson for the first five years of the event, I was asked to come back! As the song Les Respectables and I wrote in 2004 expressed, small actions can change the world! And this year more than ever, the time has come for concrete actions. That’s why we’re inviting the public to share their impressions, solutions and future projects pertaining to public and active transport on the new blog, a platform that will host ideas all year long," he noted.
To begin this shift, September 21st will be entirely dedicated to reflections and discussions thanks to a TranspoCamp organized by Montreal’s Living Lab. Intended for all those interested in new technologies applied to the field of urban transit, this open forum will be the perfect opportunity to explore varied ideas and real solutions for the future.
"The 2012 In Town Without My Car TranspoCamp will allow citizens to reclaim urban transit discussions and issues," affirmed Louise Guay, President of Montreal’s Living Lab. "More than just a sequence of activities and conferences, the TranspoCamp is a shared and participative space enabling people to point out their concerns and ideas for the future of urban mobility."
For its part, September 22nd will be a family-oriented day, allowing young and old alike to explore the future of public transit in Montreal. Partners’ activities, a concert by Les Respectables and guests as well as various activities will bring the Old Port’s Place des vestiges to life.
The Event’s Partners
Thanks to the support of numerous partners, the AMT has organized the In Town Without My Car day since 2003. This year, Laurentian Bank takes part in the event for the third time as official sponsor. The AMT also relies on its loyal partners: the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ), the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP), Bombardier and CN.
"We’re pleased to support In Town Without My Car again this year," underlined Ms. Gladys Caron, Laurentian Bank Vice-President, Public Affairs, Communications and Investor Relations. "This is the third year we are acting as official event sponsor, and I’m pleased that the Bank is doing its part to help make the Montreal area greener!"
"Like the AMT, the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) is pleased to see the increasingly significant place that active and mass transit is taking in the daily lives of Montreal area residents. Even if the benefits of the measures implemented in the framework of Mobility Montréal are already being felt, the Ministère and its partners are continuing their efforts to make getting around easier for everyone. The MTQ is thus proud to once again be associated with the In Town Without My Car event and is committed to keeping public transit at the heart of its priorities," stated Ms. Ginette Sylvain, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Projects Branch.
"The STM recorded nearly 405 million trips last year, a historic ridership record. With projects that will have a huge impact on service quality, such as iBus, – which disseminates real-time information throughout the bus network – the arrival of the new AZUR metro cars in 2014 and the implementation of new reserved lanes on the island, we’re confident that the Society in Motion movement will continue to grow. The In Town Without My Car day is an excellent opportunity to try out public transit," stated Michel Labrecque, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Société de transport de Montréal.
The event is made possible by collaborators such as Astral Radio, VIA Rail, Canadian Pacific Railway and Le Diplomate, as well as by awareness-raising partners who also contribute to the event’s success by organizing activities, performances and presentations.
About the AMT
The Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) is a government agency with a metropolitan vocation whose mission is to expand and plan public transit services in order to improve commuting efficiency in the Greater Montreal Area. The AMT currently operates 5 commuter train lines, 51 stations, 1 metropolitan express bus line, 61 park-and-ride lots, 16 metropolitan terminals and 85.2 km of reserved lanes. Annual commuter train ridership is nearly 17 million passengers, ranking the Montreal region sixth in North America. For more information, visit amt.qc.ca.
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