montréal STM - Discussion générale

[Maisonneuve]

Montreal transit looks to corporate sponsorship

 

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Montreal+transit+looks+corporate+sponsorship/3853488/story.html

 

James Mennie, Postmedia News · Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

 

MONTREAL - Montreal's transit system is proposing to rebrand its subway lines through corporate sponsorships in hopes of ridding itself of a persistent debt.

 

Michel Labrecque, chairman of the Societe de transport de Montreal, told the TVA news network that rebranding its col-our-coded metro lines to reflect its corporate sponsors was one of several ideas being considered to increase revenues and ridership for the cash-strapped transit authority.

 

The deficit-plagued Societe de transport has a $1-billion annual budget. Spokeswoman Marianne Rouette said the rebranding proposal was still being considered and that no final decision had been taken. She added that if the proposal were adopted, any corporation that sponsored a line would have several obligations to fill.

 

"They'd have to accept a long-term sponsorship -- perhaps 10 years -- they'd have to have a policy of sustainable development, they'd have to promote public transit use among their employees and clientele and ... their advertising would have to respond to the norms the [transit commission] establishes in its call for tenders [for advertising]," she said.

 

But city Councillors Richard Bergeron and Alex Norris derided the proposal as "harebrained" and "crazy."

 

"This is a dangerous precedent, in our view," Mr. Norris said. "Where is it going to lead? The next time the municipal administration claims to be short of money are they going to consider renaming Ste. Catherine Street McDonald's Street? Is Peel Street going to become Labatt Blue Street?"

 

The councillors are also asking Mayor Gerald Tremblay to open the books of Transgesco, the agency that oversees the sale of advertising on the subway, to ensure taxpayers are getting a fair return on profits.

 

"Citizens mistakenly believe that [subway] advertising brings in a lot for the Societe de transport de Montreal," Mr. Bergeron said.

 

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I'm not sure what to think of this idea. When I was in Montreal last week, I noticed that the Bixi Stations no longer have the name of the street location on the top, but now have corporate sponsorship.

 

I believe advertising is a good thing. It's not like the colour names are distinct to Montreal. Not only could the corporations put their names on the lines, they could chip in for the costs to run the lines, keep stations clean, pay for minor improvements - all so it's not a complete "free ride with free promotion" for the corporations. Also, think of the possibilities...

 

Bell could own the green line. Videotron could own the orange line. Desjardins could own the yellow line. Metro could own the blue line.

 

On Bell's line, they could promote their BELL Expressvu channels and content. Videotron could do the same on the orange line. Desjardins could promote all of it's financial instruments on the yellow line. Metro could promote sales on groceries at it's various entities. Of course, the advertising on each line would not be 100% in the hands of those corporates above, but they can control 30%, since there name will be on the line for 10 years.

 

And don't stop there: The termini should also have corporate names.

 

As for Project Montreal's fear-mongering about Rue Ste.Catherine becoming Rue McDonald's.....NO, that's something completely different. Apples and Oranges. Ste. Catherine or De Maisonneuve are place-names that have a historical significance to the city of Montreal. "Green Line" , "Blue Line", "Orange Line" and "Yellow Line" mean nothing. So the fact that the Green Line gets renamed as the "Bell Line" is NOT a dangerous precedent...

 

..that's why I HATE opposition parties; they say nonsense just to get attention away from the governing party.

[MTLskyline]

^^I like the way you think!

[Cyrus]

 

As for Project Montreal's fear-mongering about Rue Ste.Catherine becoming Rue McDonald's.....NO, that's something completely different. Apples and Oranges. Ste. Catherine or De Maisonneuve are place-names that have a historical significance to the city of Montreal. "Green Line" , "Blue Line", "Orange Line" and "Yellow Line" mean nothing. So the fact that the Green Line gets renamed as the "Bell Line" is NOT a dangerous precedent...

 

..that's why I HATE opposition parties; they say nonsense just to get attention away from the governing party.

 

I think it was even more funny because we already have a rue MacDonald an avenue Labatt and a rue Molson and etc etc

[Jim]

Je pense que ça en vaut pas la peine.

 

 

On a la dignité pour ne pas nécessairement mettre nos ligne à genoux devant ces entreprises

[WestAust]

La Société de transport de Montréal (STM) est en train de finaliser une entente qui permettra aux usagers d’utiliser leur téléphone cellulaire dans l’ensemble du réseau de métro, stations et tunnels compris, d’ici trois ans.

Photo: Agence QMI

 

Les négociations avec la firme Extenet, spécialisée dans l’installation de matériel de réception sans fil, devraient être terminées dans les prochaines semaines, ont indiqué mardi les responsables de la STM.

 

« La lettre d’intention est faite. Mais la négociation n’est pas tout à fait terminée », a expliqué Michel Lafrance, directeur général de Transgesco, la société en commandite qui gère les ententes commerciales de la STM.

 

Le déploiement sera réalisé en plusieurs phases d’une douzaine de stations chacune, jusqu'à la fin 2013. Il sera même possible de parler au téléphone dans le tunnel pendant que le métro est en marche, a souligné Michel Lafrance.

 

Il faudra installer pour environ 50 millions $ de matériel dans les 68 stations de métro et dans les tunnels qui les relient. Cette somme sera entièrement payée par Extenet.

 

La firme de télécommunications obtiendra un contrat de 20 ans pour la gestion des équipements.

 

Ce dénouement marque la fin d’un feuilleton qui dure depuis trois ans et pendant lequel la STM, déjà en retard par rapport à beaucoup d’autres grandes villes dans ce domaine, a dû revoir sa stratégie afin de permettre l’utilisation du cellulaire dans son réseau souterrain.

 

Depuis 2009, deux appels d’offres ciblant directement les fournisseurs de service, comme Bell, Telus, Rogers et Vidéotron, ont été lancés. Aucun d’entre eux n’avait recueilli de soumission, parce que l’infrastructure à installer coûtait trop cher, selon ces fournisseurs.

 

Extenet, qui installe les infrastructures, mais n’offre pas de service, permettra à ces différentes compagnies d’utiliser ses installations moyennant une redevance.

 

Une partie des profits sera reversée à la STM.

 

Au cours des cinq prochaines années, la STM compte doubler la part de ses revenus provenant d’ententes commerciales.

[Cataclaw]

Shame. I kind of like the quiet of the cell-free tunnels.

[pedepy]

i don't think a phone conversation or two per ride will really add much to the ruckus of our rubber tired trains ...

[Cataclaw]

I meant more in the sense that i don't care to hear other people's phone conversations, but that's just me. A lot of people are ok, but a lot of people are also loud and obnoxious when they're on the phone.

[WestAust]

Cell phone signal in the metro won't mean much more noise than it is actually the case, often you have 2 persons sitting inches one from the other and yet the wagon can hear what they are saying because they talk so loudly

[jesseps]

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is finalizing a deal with Extenet that will see wireless customers have the ability to use their devices throughout 68 subway stations and adjoining underground tunnels. The project will be rolled out in phases and is estimated to be completed by the end of 2013. In addition, this initiative will cost Extenet around $50 million but they’ll make their money from every phone call as the carriers will pay out royalties to them.

 

Michel Lafrance, Director General of Transgesco, said that “It is even possible to talk on the phone in the tunnel while the subway is running”. The same initiative is underway in Toronto with the TTC.

 

(Courtesy of Mobile Syrup)

 

I know the french one was posted above.

 

Sweet... cell reception on the metro. I do hope people stick to checking their emails, sms and stock quotes.