Category: News

Do you love the freedom of spontaneous trips with a FLEX car, without the need to plan ahead?

Have you enjoyed the “station zones” we’ve added over the past two years, making more vehicles available in high-demand areas?

Would you like to see these station zones year-round, even during the winter?

The increase in demand forces us to be creative and to think outside the box!

INTRODUCING RETURN FLEX
As our service continues to grow, we’ve had to get creative to meet the demand all year round. One challenge we face is that reservation vehicles can’t stay on the streets during winter due to parking restrictions and snow removal operations. This often leads to fewer available vehicles in high-demand areas during the cold season.

The solution? Convert them into vehicles without reservation while keeping them associated with the station zone they belonged to during the summer.

This delightful mix will give rise to Return FLEX!

PILOT PROJECT
This new version of our service will be tested soon (in the next few weeks) as a pilot project.

If everything goes as planned, we will have two types of FLEX:
• One-way FLEX: the option you already know.
• Return FLEX: the new option available in station zones
You can continue to use One-way FLEX vehicles for trips from A to B: You can start your trip in one part of the main FLEX zone and release it in a different area within the main FLEX zone (see article 1.1.8 of the Rules and Regulations). You can use the new Return FLEX option for return trips, where you start and end in the same station zone.

A new icon in the app will distinguish Return FLEX from the regular One-way FLEX:

To avoid any confusion, a message will appear in the app when you block a Return FLEX to remind you that this vehicle must be returned within the limits of its station zone at the end of the trip.

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS FOR VALUE!
Our goal is to maintain a larger supply of vehicles in areas where we created station zones, so:
Return FLEX vehicles will be priced at the same rates as station-based vehicles available by reservation.
But since the Return FLEX vehicles will still be FLEX vehicles:
• You will continue to benefit from FLEX rates if they give a better price for your trip (possible for trips that are short, even an hour or two, but high in kilometres).
• FLEX passes remain compatible with Return FLEX vehicles.
• These vehicles will also be eligible for the credits offered during snow removal. But we will discuss that when the time comes…
The best of both worlds, right?

STARTING SMALL
Since this is a brand-new side of our service, we know it will take time for our members and our own team to get accustomed to it.
To start with, only a few vehicles will be assigned to this new service. We are aiming for December. If the pilot project proves successful, more vehicles will be added.

More updates will follow!

In an effort to promote more sustainable mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, the City of Laval is offering a subsidy program for carsharing. This initiative, part of Laval’s 2021-2025 Climate Plan, aims to encourage residents to adopt this environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

What is the financial aid program for carsharing?

New users of a carsharing service in Laval can benefit from a subsidy of up to $500. This financial aid is intended to cover part of the costs associated with using the carsharing service, such as monthly subscription fees, and per-minute or per-hour rates under the program, from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

How does it work?

This financial aid program is made possible through the financial support of the Government of Quebec as part of the Plan for a Green Economy 2030. With the Communauto carsharing network available in Laval, residents of Laval can benefit from this subsidy by signing up for Communauto.

Each citizen of Laval is eligible for a maximum of 2 subsidies, each up to $250, making a total of $500 per applicant.

Eligibility conditions and steps to follow

To be eligible for this financial aid, you must:

• reside in Laval;
• sign up for a carsharing service, such as Communauto, between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025;
• submit your subsidy application by January 31, 2026, at the latest.

The request form will be available on the City of Laval website in My Account starting May 6, 2024. Expenses incurred from January 1, 2024, are eligible for the financial aid program. To apply, you will need to provide:

• proofs of residence: 2 copies will be necessary;
• documentation proving the date of subscription to the carsharing service;
• invoices showing eligible expenses (usage and subscription fees) accessible from your account :

You can request your two $250 subsidies in a single application (if the accumulated bills exceed $500) or make two separate applications at different times as soon as you accumulate at least $250 in usage and subscription fees for the carsharing service.

It should be noted that subsidies will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis until the budget allocated by the City of Laval for the carsharing subsidy program is exhausted.

Please be aware that not all costs are eligible for the carsharing financial aid program:

• The $500 membership fees for Communauto’s Economical, Economical Plus, Economical Extra plans cannot be reimbursed by this subsidy, as they are fully refundable if you leave the service after one year.
• Costs related to penalties or administrative booking fees are also not eligible.

Conclusion

The financial aid program for carsharing in Laval represents an opportunity for residents to actively contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while benefiting from a flexible and economical mode of transportation. By adopting this initiative, the City of Laval reinforces its commitment to a more sustainable and ecological future for everyone.

For any questions regarding the financial aid for carsharing, you are invited to contact the City by dialing 311 or 450 978-8000.

Unlike a regular station located in a fixed location, a “station zone” is an area on the map visible in the Communauto app. Developed in collaboration with the City of Montreal, this initiative was part of a pilot project that tested the feasibility of this new type of station.

The vehicles at these stations are parked on the street and can be located anywhere within the boundaries of the zone. They do not have fixed parking spots. Therefore, using the Communauto app is necessary to find a reserved vehicle in a station zone.

The perimeter of these stations is small enough to be quickly crossed on foot.

Station zones can be identified in the app by their unique icon. To know the area covered by a station zone, you just need to click on its icon.

The reservation

When making a reservation, you will not see the exact position of the vehicle that will be assigned to you; you will only know the zone within which it will be located when it comes time to use it.

Before starting the trip

When the time comes, use the app to locate your vehicle. It will be displayed on the map up to ten minutes before the start of your reservation (if it is already available).

At the end of the trip

At the end of your trip, you simply need to release the vehicle within the boundaries of the station zone in a location that is not subject to restrictions. Since the vehicles at these stations are equipped with the same parking permits as FLEX vehicles, the same rules apply for on-street parking. For more information, consult the FLEX parking guide.

Need a reminder? Check the station info
A summary of this information, as well as a map illustration of the area covered by the station zone where you reserved your vehicle, are available in the station info (accessible during your trip by clicking on the station’s name in the Communauto app).

Where to park: a reminder of the rules

Just like FLEX vehicles, station zone vehicles give you the right to park in spaces reserved for holders of a resident parking permit.

At the end of your trip, you must pay close attention to signage to avoid places that are metered or subject to restrictions (even temporary ones), including those that will come into effect in the future. The only exception to this rule concerns restrictions for street cleaning purposes. In this case, you have the right to release the vehicle in a location on the condition that you can leave it there until the end of the next day (11:59 PM).

Here is a summary of the parking restrictions that you must comply to (places where it is not possible to end a trip):

• Snow removal zone;
• Loading zone;
• Metered parking zone;
• Time-limited parking zone;
• Temporary no-parking zone, even if it is not in effect at the time you park (schools, parks, bus lanes, etc.);
• Street cleaning zone if the prohibition starts before the end of the next day (11:59 PM).