Vehicles and Accessories

RFID key fobs – short for “radio frequency identification” – (see photo) are an accessory that was distributed to all Canadian members of Communauto for many years before it became possible to access vehicles with the Communauto mobile app. 

Today, these keys are mainly used to access vehicles that are located in “non-communicating” stations (i.e., where there is no network signal). They are no longer sent out automatically, except for in cities where there are “non-communicating” stations, but it is not possible to register your public transport card instead (see What do you mean by “equivalent” when you refer to “RFID key fob or equivalent”? for more details on this). 

If we have not provided you with an RFID key fob when you registered, you can still request one be sent by mail. Please use the contact form in the app or on your location’s website to make the request. 

To start a journey with an RFID key fob or the equivalent, rather than with the Communauto mobile app, simply hold it near the fob reader attached to the vehicle’s windshield on the driver’s side. 

In several Communauto locations, public transit cards can be used as an alternative to a key fob for accessing the vehicles. Like the key fob, these cards often feature RFID technology (short for “radio frequency identification”) and some of them can be saved in your account to allow you to access vehicles. 

You can add a card in the “Vehicle Access Card” section of the app or by signing into your account on the Communauto website. 

For the moment only the following transit cards can be registered for vehicle access: 

• The Navigo card in Paris 

• The Multi card in Gatineau 

• The La Vermeilleuse card in Sherbrooke 

• The Opus card in the Quebec and Montreal regions 

Adding one or other of these cards to your account remains possible even if you have an RFID key.

We offer a variety of vehicles in the following categories (in ascending order of cargo space):

• Compact
• Intermediate
• Family
• Minivan
• Utility

Most of the vehicles in our fleet are in the “Compact” category. This is the default category when you search for a vehicle for your trip, so there is no “Compact” category for an option in your search.

If you are looking for a vehicle with more cargo space, opt for a vehicle in the “Intermediate” category, or “Family” if you need even more space. The “Minivan” category offers the most cargo space. There is a limited quantity of “Utility” vehicles, and they are only offered in a few branches. For more information on these specialized vehicles, check the website for your location.

You can also choose from the following categories in your vehicle search:

• Sedan
• Hatchback
• Electric

This list is not exhaustive. Please consult the Communauto app for other options.

You will find a detailed description of each of our vehicle models by selecting Our Fleet on the How it Works page on the website for your location.

In winter, all vehicles are equipped with winter tires, a snow brush, and a shovel, except in Paris where this is not necessary.

Do your cars have automatic or standard transmission?

All of our vehicles are equipped with automatic transmission.

In Paris, our fleet is made up of vehicles with both automatic AND manual transmission.

Do you provide accessories such as bike racks or child seats?

We do not provide bike racks or rooftop cargo carriers, however you are welcome to purchase your own and use them with our vehicles.

In Quebec and Paris, child seats are available in some round-trip vehicles. To search for these vehicles, select « Baby s. less than 18 kg”, or “Baby s. less than 30 kg » (do not select both at the same time) in the options menu under vehicle search on the mobile app.

Are your vehicles equipped with winter tires?

All of our vehicles have winter tires installed from November to April.

In Paris, our vehicles are equipped with four-season tires year-round.

We generally begin doing tire changes in early October and mid April every year.

To check if a vehicle has winter tires installed, look for “w.tires” in the vehicle features list when making your booking.

In the winter, please allow plenty of time at the start of your trip for clearing snow or ice from the vehicle, and allow for extra driving time during periods of poor weather.

How do push-button start vehicles work?

More and more vehicles come with push-button start ignitions. For example, the Toyota Prius V, the Yaris hybrid (in Paris), newer Toyota Corollas, most Kia Rios, the Chevrolet Volt, and Nissan LEAF all have push-button start ignitions.

To turn on these vehicles, hold down the brake pedal, then press the start button, if not you will remain in Neutral and won’t be able to move. Remember to release the parking brake if it is engaged (always check).

Even though there isn’t an ignition key, there is still a car key in the glove box, and you should still take this out and keep it with you on your stopovers to lock and unlock the vehicle. Don’t forget to put the car key back in its holder in the glove compartment at the end of your trip.