Haut-Saint-Laurent RCM and Hubup: Geolite in Canada

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Publié le 15 November 2023
Canada
Today, meet Michelle Beauchesne, Transportation coordinator for the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, regarding our Operations control & PIS, Geolite, and our first implementation in Canada.

Michelle, could you briefly introduce yourself?

Sure! My name is Michelle Beauchesne, and I am the new Transportation Coordinator for the Regional County Municipality of Haut-Saint-Laurent in Quebec. I oversee both adapted collective transport and bus transport services. My role is to ensure that services are delivered effectively and that we have all the necessary resources to do so.

What is the role of the Haut-Saint-Laurent RCM? Its structure? How does the transport market work with the Québécoise?

Indeed. The Haut-Saint-Laurent RCM has been responsible for transportation for only two years. Before that, it was managed by a third party.

Currently, we have implemented a new service model that includes taxi travel (TaxiBus) and adapted transport for people facing intellectual or physical disabilities. 

Our bus routes with the company Groupe La Québécoise mainly consist of two bus lines. One originates from Mercier, facilitating interconnection with the greater Montreal region, and the other interconnects with the EXO bus routes of the City of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, which is the major urban center in the area with a high population density. 

In a few words, this has been our service model since 2020.

It’s since this time that we reached out to your company for the bus portion, precisely to facilitate integration, monitoring, the establishment of proper customer service procedures, and also to maintain regular contact with our drivers.

Did you primarily integration-related challenges before using the tool?

Without geolocation, it’s a bit challenging to know the bus locations. There’s always the option of doing it by phone, but it’s not real-time management, and we also don’t want to disturb the drivers. We went them to stay focused on the road.

Hubup’s software allows us to achieve this without bothering the drivers during their routes. That’s why we turned to Geolite, also for statistical compilation, as elected officials want reports, especially for a service for which we are spending a significant amount of money.

Did you explore other suitable solutions offered in Canada?

There was a tender process. I wasn’t here when this was done, but I know we had other bidders.

My colleague Annick met with the main candidates, and our choice fell on Hubup because the platform seemed more comprehensive and user-friendly. Even for someone like me, who isn’t the best with computers, I find it easy to use and retrieve my data. So, that’s something that really tipped the scales, especially with a facilitating integration.

How did the deployment go, both the RCM and with la Québécoise?

On our end, we purchased the tablets. La Québécoise handles the internet service. There were training sessions with the drivers. It’s always a bit more challenging with older drivers who may be resistant to technology, but we coach and assist them regularly. My chief driver, Steve, is proficient with the tool and supports them.

Antoine, Sales Director Canada, has been based in Canada since March 2022. Hubup is seeking to reduce distances between market players. How is proximity perceived?

I’ve always had excellent services with Antoine Galluet. He responds promptly. I send an email, and I get clear and comprehensive answers. If there’s something, he calls me, and he’s very interactive, so even before his installation, I had good service.

It’s true that now that he is in Canada, it’s easier for him to come and visit us and conduct training sessions.

Overall, since using the tool, do you see an improvement in the quality of service?

Yes, certainly. It’s a valuable tool. It has helped us facilitate communication with La Québécoise.

Finally, if you had to describe Geolite in three words?

Intelligible, comprehensive, and practical.
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