U.S. startup to open R&D centre in Montreal
A U.S. startup headed by a Quebec-born entrepreneur is counting on Montreal’s artificial intelligence hub to help it expand faster.
Lorton, Va.-based Buspatrol plans to open a technological development centre in downtown Montreal next month that will result in about 150 people being hired over two years, chief executive officer Jean Soulière said. Buspatrol will also be looking to develop a Quebec supply chain after striking an agreement with Montreal’s Hypertech to manufacture its “smart” cameras locally.
“Not only are we creating 150 jobs for ourselves, but we are bringing all of our North American manufacturing to Montreal,” Soulière, who is based in New York City, told the Montreal Gazette in a phone interview. “Quebec is where the dream started, and we’d like to bring some of our success up here.”
Montreal has “a good population of artificial intelligence developers, and we want to develop a strong presence here,” the CEO said. “We’re looking to show how AI can be used for public safety.”
Buspatrol installs its cameras on school buses to record dangerous driver behaviour in other vehicles, such as illegal passing, and improve compliance with stop arms. The company can also co-ordinate with police departments to send out fines.
Although Buspatrol has been in operation since 2017, Soulière began working on the project in 2015 after being introduced to the issue of illegal bus passing by an acquaintance. He moved to the U.S. in 2018, and regularly criss-crosses the country — even during the pandemic — to meet with lawmakers and lobby for new traffic legislation.
“When you step inside a school bus, it looks very much like the ones you used to ride in when you were a kid,” he said. “Automobiles, however, have been completely changed by modern technology. Why is that? It’s because capitalism dictates where the cutting-edge technology goes. Until now, school transport hasn’t benefited from technological progress. We’ve found a way to change that.”
Buspatrol’s breakthrough contract was a 2017 deal with Montgomery County, Md., to create a program of automated traffic tickets. Today, about 1,400 school buses in the county are equipped with the company’s technology, Soulière said.
Buses in states including Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia now sport Buspatrol cameras, and other states — such as Connecticut and Washington — are set to follow.
Buoyed by recent contract wins, including a 5,500-camera order in New York’s Suffolk County, the company expects to have its technology installed on 50,000 buses by the end of 2020.
Canada also offers good potential. Last month, Ontario adopted a new law that will soon allow buses to start issuing tickets for illegal passings on the basis of recorded video. Buspatrol now has “the promise of a contract” with the province’s Peel region, which should be finalized in the next 45 days, Soulière said.
As for Quebec, Buspatrol has already showcased its technology in cities including Montreal, Quebec City, Drummondville, Gatineau and Laval, and the CEO said he’s hoping contracts will follow in due time.
“As a Quebec entrepreneur, it would be cool,” he said.