Contactless transit card solution that keeps people moving
Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO) serves the Gatineau region of Québec as its public transportation agency. For over a decade, STO has partnered with ABCorp to deliver secure, contactless ticketing card solutions. ABCorp manufactures and personalizes a range of transit ticketing cards, including personalized cards, non-personalized Tarif Régulier cards, short-term passes (one-, three-, and seven-day), and the Multi Jeunesse card, which supports more than 20,000 students on their daily commutes. The collaboration between STO and ABCorp facilitates a modern, contactless ticketing experience that enhances convenience for riders in the region.
Key highlights of STO’s partnership with ABCorp
- Modern card manufacturing and personalization supports multiple transit card programs at scale.
- ABCorp’s local presence and proactive communication support a long-term, trusted relationship.
- Regular information sharing related to transit products and media empower STO to stay ahead of the curve.
ABCorp prides itself on long-term client relationships built on mutual trust. We recently interviewed Josée Routhier from the Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO), a public transportation agency that serves the population within the territory of the city of Gatineau in Québec, Canada. Josée shares her experience working with ABCorp for over 10 years and how our partnership supports the agency’s card-based transit programs.
Interview with Josée Routhie (JR), Manager, Marketing and Ticketing at Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO)
ABCorp: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Société de transport de l’Outaouais (STO)?
JR: My name is Josée Routhier and I’ve been at STO for more than 18 years. Right now, I manage the sales and ticketing system. I manage the sales network for our fare products and our ticketing system.
ABCorp: Can you tell me a bit about STO as an organization?
JR: STO is a transit agency that was created in 1971. We run our services in the Gatineau region in Québec, and we also provide transportation to Ottawa. Our riders require transport to Ottawa as many work with the federal government or study at schools in the area.
ABCorp: How long have you and STO been working with ABCorp?
JR: I’ve been working directly with ABCorp for over 10 years. Today, I asked my colleagues how long our relationship has been overall and I was told that it’s over 20 years old. Our smart card program launched in 1998, so our relationship timeline likely coincides with the start of that card program.
ABCorp: Please tell us about the various ridership programs run by STO and the transit media that are used to support them.
JR: We offer many products to our riders. For example, reduced fares are available via smart cards. These smart cards are personalized with a printed picture of the rider on it.
In 2024 we introduced a new, non-personalized card called Tarif Régulier. In this industry, people that are paying the regular fare mostly use non-personalized cards, so we changed our offering to better meet our riders’ needs.
We also have a program where we sell 1-, 3-, and 7-day cards that was introduced in 2017.
In addition, we are very proud to serve our high school population of over 20,000 students with the Multi Jeunesse card. It’s a non-personalized card that students ages 12-17 use for transportation to school. In addition, they get free rides on weekdays after 5:00 PM and free rides on the weekends. With this program, we’re encouraging them to use the transit system to take them where they want to go.
The Multi Jeunesse card is, by far, our most colorful card. When we began producing this with ABCorp, they told us that it was the prettiest card they’ve ever manufactured for us. Our contacts at ABCorp were very excited about the finished product.
ABCorp: Tell us how you work with ABCorp. What products or solutions do we provide for your organization?
JR: Mainly we order smart cards that are contactless and contain an embedded chip and antenna. A portion of these cards are pre-programmed by ABCorp so we don’t have to go through the programming one-by-one.
Our Account Manager, Rosy, regularly shares information regarding ABCorp’s products or media on the market that might be of interest to a transit authority like STO. She’s always there to share product-related updates that could be of interest to us.
ABCorp: Let’s talk about the value that ABCorp delivers to STO. Whether it’s service, pricing, or quality, where do you find value in the relationship?
JR: What we appreciate most is the availability. Whenever we have a question, I know that Rosy and her colleagues at ABCorp will answer quickly. It’s comforting to know we have that kind of availability and will receive quick responses. The quality of product is consistently good, and the pricing is competitive.
ABCorp: Do you have a specific example or an experience that you can think of where ABCorp went above and beyond?
JR: In 2018, there was an urgent issue that we needed help with. I sent Rosy an e-mail and she called me right away. I learned later that she called from the hospital after having an operation! She took the time to call me from her hospital bed to reassure me that the ABCorp team was addressing this situation. I was in disbelief and not expecting that. If Rosy is ever hospitalized again, I don’t expect her to call me from the hospital…even if it’s urgent!
ABCorp: Thinking about the future of the transit programs that STO supports and how riders pay, are there any developments or any new programs on the horizon that you want to share?
JR: Within the next two or three years, we plan on updating our current ticketing system. As part of this process, we will also evaluate additional electronic media for other ways to pay beyond the smart card. For example, a QR code could potentially be an appealing option for riders, as well as open payment, but we are only in the early stages right now.
ABCorp: Are there any final thoughts or feedback you’d like to share about your overall experience with ABCorp?
JR: What I appreciate the most is that I can have a conversation in French, which is very important for us in Québec. While some of the card ordering process is in English, most of our communication is in French which is much appreciated. Also, the fact that Rosy takes the time to meet with us regularly, both in-person and virtually, is important. I know that she’s available to have conversations or meetings when we need her, and she also shares new products and solutions that are on the market. We really appreciate the service we receive from ABCorp.
