pilant tctd presentation

Northwest Oregon Transit AllianceREGIONAL TRANSIT PROJECT

PROJECT PURPOSE

To reduce greenhouse gasses and fossil fuel dependence through increased transit use by

visitors and commuters.

Who is “The Alliance”?

AGENCY REPRESENTED BY:

Columbia County Rider Janet Wright, Transit Director

Sunset Empire Transit District Jay Flint, Executive Director

Tillamook County Transp. District Doug Pilant, General Manager

Lincoln County Transit Cynda Bruce, Director

Benton County Rural Transit Sharon Fipps, Director

PROJECT GOALS Improve transit connections between communities

Brand and market transit service in all five counties as a single seamless service

Improve inter-agency coordination

Promote environmentally-conscious travel

Develop transit as an asset for economic development

PROJECT TIMELINE

MAJOR TASKSBranding and MarketingRegional Route and Service CoordinationCentralized WebsiteStrategic PartnershipsSustainable FundingSuccesses and Lessons Learned

All are interconnected!

BRANDING AND MARKETING

Branding and Marketing: The Challenge

• Five diverse counties

• Visitors and commuters – two different audiences

• Existing individual agency brands and identities

Charrette workshops were held in all five counties to discuss

connections and regional themes.

Common Themes

Community connections“Green”

Water/rainFriendly

Bright, modernWayfinding

Standards for Letterhead and Business Cards

Poster Art

Rack cards for hotel/restaurant lobbies, visitor info centers, and other places where tourist literature is displayed.

CENTRALIZED WEBSITE

Home page has regional trip planning info for riders, news, meeting notices, etc.

REGIONAL ROUTE AND SERVICE COORDINATION

Route and Service Coordination Focus Areas

• Population/employment clusters and other destinations served by existing routes within each county

• Connections across county lines

• Commuter and visitor markets

• Fare policy

How well do existing routes in each county align with population centers , employment clusters and major visitor destinations?

Service Within Each County

BEFORE:

•Transfer points in remote areas.

•Often very long wait times

Connections Across County

Lines

Early Successes

• Tillamook/Lincoln County

– Was: Transfer at Otis

– Now: TCTD goes into Lincoln City and agencies share cost of the extended run

Works in-progress

• Continued improvement to inter-county connection points and transfer times.

• Connections with for-profit intercity carriers.

• Tribal partnerships for better casino employment and recreational access.

Commuter and Visitor Markets

Commuting Between Counties

Commute Shed Analysis – How many people in each county travel to another county for work?

Regional Fares for Commuters

• Market analysis tells us that the need for a regional commuter pass within the five-county area is low.

• Individual monthly pass programs should be continued instead.

Visitor Markets

1. Choice Riders2. Summer Visitors3. Biking and Car Free Travel4. Green Tourists5. Portland Area6. Neighboring States and Key Cities (Seattle-

Tacoma, San Franciso, New York City)7. Trip Chaining

Regional Fare for Visitors• Market analysis tells us that a regional visitor

pass program could be successful!

• Three-day and seven-day regional visitor passes have been implemented.

• Each pass allows one round trip to/from the I-5 corridor, and unlimited travel in the coastal counties.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

“North by Northwest Transportation Foundation”

• New non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation

• Separate from, but closely aligned with, the public transit partners

• Foundation board: Representatives from business, higher-education and tourist/travel organizations.

Foundation’s Role

• Fundraising from private, charitable resources • Work toward endowment funding

• Work with transit agencies to promote transit programs

Other Strategic Partners:Employers

Other Strategic Partners:Visitor Groups

Visitor-Based BusinessesWhat’s in it for them?• Supporting transit is a great way to increase a

business’ customer base.

• Enhances image as an environmentally and customer friendly business.

Visitor Information

Link to our site:nworegontransit.org

WHAT’S NEXT?

Doug PilantGeneral Manager

Tillamook County Transportation District503-815 -8283

info@nworegontransit.org