Public Transport: the distribution of the securities lose their audio guide

ZECHARIAH GOUDREAULT/24 HOURS/QMI AGENCY

Zechariah Gaudreault

Wednesday, 14 February, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Wednesday, 14 February, 2018 00:00

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To the great misfortune of those who need it, the vending of tickets from metro stations and railway stations of suburban trains will lose their audio guide by the end of the month of march.

This practice aid for the blind and the illiterate, has been added to the vending machines in 2012, four years after the installation of the recharging terminals, and a long struggle of several organisms.

By plugging in his headphones in a distribution of securities, Pierre Croisetière, a customer blind of the metro, receiving indications of sound which help us to choose the right ticket and pay for it independently.

“We can no longer use these machines. We will be forced to go elsewhere, make turns and cross streets. What are the pitfalls in additional […] one loses a right acquired by a high-control”, laments Mr. Croisetière.

His white cane in hand, he explains how this simple change can create additional stress. “Based on our intuition. It is often the same route and you get used to the configuration of the metro”.

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) offers its customers to turn to the money-changers, which allow the purchase of securities in cash. However, these are not always in their ticket then they need to perform other tasks for a few years.

Temporary Situation

The STM, which is responsible for the operation of the software on all the 279 vending machines in the metro and commuter trains, has indicated that this situation is temporary and promises to correct it as soon as possible”, but is not able to estimate the time of delivery depending on the interface sound.

These works are necessary in order that the STM complies with the latest safety standards in banking, said Philippe Déry, public affairs advisor for the company.

“A setback”

“It means what “temporary”? One year, two years, four years of waiting? We fought so many years for it […] It is a step backwards in terms of accessibility”, said the director general of the Grouping of the users of the paratransit and accessible of the island of Montreal, Serge Poulin.

“When we talk about universal access, we all should have access as easily [in transit]. This is unacceptable in 2018 that we have to take decisions like that,” said the director general of the Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Montréal métropolitain, Pascale Dussault.

The latter says that a lawsuit is “conceivable” if the STM takes too long before restoring the interface sound on its equipment sales.