Paratransit – Montérégie

In the region of Montérégie, public paratransit is offered by the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL).  Its territory includes Longueuil (Greenfield Park, Saint-Hubert and Vieux-Longueuil arrondissements), Boucherville, Brossard, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville and Saint-Lambert. To be eligible for paratransit, applicants must complete the application form available on demand either by calling (450) 670-2992, option 3 or by visiting the RTL website[1].  The completed application form must then be sent to the following address:    

Réseau de transport de Longueuil
Comité d’admissibilité
au transport adapté
1150, boulevard Marie-Victorin
Longueuil (Québec)    J4G 2M4

To make a transportation reservation, users must phone the dispatch service (450) 670-2992, option 1, any day from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm or complete the ride request form.

For regular transportation rides, requests must be made at least 7 days in advance with an agent from the Dispatch service who will immediately confirm a 30-minute time slot for the pick-up.   Once the schedule has been established, there is no need to call the dispatch office except for changes or cancellations.  Regular transportation reservations are not valid on holidays. 

Occasional transportation reservations must be made no earlier than 3 days before the date of the trip, and, at the latest, by 7 p.m. the day before the trip. Any modification requests must be made at the latest the day before the scheduled trip, except for cases of metropolitan trips (outside the territory). Those must be made 3 days in advance with the dispatch service. In the case of a cancellation, one must absolutely inform the Dispatch service by phone, by Internet, at www.rtl-longueuil.qc.ca , or via the interactive voice response system (IRV) (450) 670-2992, option 4, at the latest the day before the scheduled trip. It is recommended to plan transportation for medical appointments, business appointments, or recreational outings outside of rush hours[2].  

   If such a need is identified, the eligibility committee may grant a user the right to be accompanied during transportation.  Users are asked to notify the Dispatch service anytime they plan to travel with a companion.  The RTL has identified five categories of accompaniment: 

1.  –       Occasional accompaniment: the companion accompanies the user during occasional trips. The companion must pay transportation fare and only has access to the vehicle if seats are available.  
2. –       Accompaniment related to parental responsibilities: applies to situations where parents with disabilities are allowed to travel with children under 14 years of age; or where children with disabilities must be accompanied by a parent. In all cases, companions must pay for the transportation fare, according to the applicable fare category.    
3. –       Temporary accompaniment:  Applies to people who accompany users in order to help them with regular transport accommodations. Such companions do not have to pay transportation fare.  
4. –       Compulsory accompaniment: applicable in cases where the eligibility committee decides that it is important that the user be accompanied at all times.  To benefit from compulsory accompaniment, a request must be made during the application process and such a request must be supported by a health care professional. Compulsory companions do not have to defray the cost of the transportation fare.  
5. –       Finally, accompaniment during regular transportation: for users who need a companion during trips by regular transportation means.  Such a companion is exempted from paying the fare, but the user must carry an identification card issued by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), the RTL, the STM, the STL or any other organization authorized to issue such a card.  This card can be obtained by calling the following telephone number:   450-670-2992, option 3.

In addition to the services of the RTL, users can solicit the services of the Regroupement des personnes handicapées Région du Haut-Richelieu (R.P.H.R.H.R.). This group oversees the management, dispatch and carrying out the transportation plan of the intended territory according to its mandate.  Users who wish to apply for this type of specialized transportation should complete the application form available at the following addresses:  

Regroupement des personnes handicapées
Région du Haut-Richelieu
920, boulevard d’Iberville
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Québec)      J2X 4A7

(450) 347-6041
(450) 347-9059

Ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Sylvie Dubois
Conseillère aux transports en commun et adapté
188, rue Jacques-Cartier Nord
Casier postal 1025
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Québec)       J3B 7B2
(450) 359-2054
(450) 359-2080

Les Services de réadaptation du Sud-Ouest et du Renfort
315, rue Macdonald
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Québec)       J3B 8J3
(450) 348-6121
(450) 348-8440

The Haut-Richelieu network is divided into two sub-networks: the Dolbec network and the Transbus network.  Reservation schedules on the Dolbec and the Transbus network are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at their respective telephone numbers.  Sunday trips must be booked at the latest by 2 p.m. on the Friday before the trip.  Trip cancellations or modifications must be reported to the dispatcher at least one hour before the scheduled pick-up. The first time a user does not inform the dispatcher of a change or cancellation and is not present at the time of the scheduled pick-up, a written warning will be sent. Penalties apply when cancellations are made less than 2 hours before the scheduled pick-up time.  If the Union cab driver is already on its way to the user’s pick-up location, or if he shows up at the pick-up address in vain, the user will be charged for the full amount billed by Union taxi[4].    

Fares also vary according to the type of itinerary chosen by the user.  The fee schedule can be found on the town of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu website, under the paratransit tab.  

The authorized categories of accompaniment during transportation are as follows:  compulsory accompaniment, temporary for the purpose of acquainting one to the process, optional, and related to parental responsibilities. Only companions identified under the compulsory accompaniment type and the accompaniment for the purpose of acquainting one to the process type can travel for free.  Companions identified under all other types of accompaniment have to pay the transportation fare.