Cleveland Area Rapid Transit

Strategic Communication Presentation

November 13, 2008

Establish an Awareness As a public transportation

provider, you must make the public aware!

Get involved in civic groups, especially the Chamber of Commerce

Meet with local business owners

Attend all meetings where the public is involved

Get Involved If you are

invited, GO! From events such as

Bike to Work Day to a mom’s group organizing Touch-a-Truck, it is the perfect way to show the community you care…and to market your system!

CART in the News CART has been

featured in the local newspapers more than 75 times from 2006 to 2008, including ten front-page stories in the Norman Transcript

Coverage ranged from special events and new routes to milestones and feature stories

Everyone Has a Story to Tell

You and only you know what your story is!

All employees have a story Milestones and records are

newsworthy New services and routes need

to be in the news

Create News

Garner news coverage by making news, by creating it!

Try Transit DayOctober 2006

CART waived fares on all routes and services

Hideaway Pizza donated 1,000 slices of pizza, which were gone in less than two hours

CART gave away four unlimited one-month passes

Cost: Loss of revenue

Fill the TrolleyDecember 2007

CART collected toys and household items from local businesses, university departments and student groups

CART was able to completely fill two trolleys, donating the goods to the Cleveland County Christmas Store

Cost: Fuel, driver, Santa Claus costume

Dump the PumpJune 2008

Mayor and City Council proclaimed June 19, 2008, Dump the Pump Day in Norman

CART waived fares on all services that day and gave free t-shirt to all riders as well as hosted a free concert at a local park

All major Oklahoma City news stations covered the event Ridership increased 100% on that day Sooner Express transported 145 passengers, a new record Cost: T-shirts, band, print advertising, exterior bus ads, loss of revenue

How to Get Media Attention Each reporter at a publication is assigned a

beat Find out who writes for transportation and

meet with that person, explaining to him or her exactly what your agency does

Build a relationship with the reporter, a trust, a rapport

Know what is newsworthy and what is not

How to Get Media Attention (Continued)

Do not inundate news outlets with press releases

No more than one or two press releases per month

Give reporter plenty of notice (several weeks) Be sure to educate the writer as to why your

story is relevant, why readers would care

Employ Private Sector Marketing Tactics

Print Advertising

Promotional Items

Discounts Coupons

Print Advertising

Very effective way to reach large audiences and send the message YOU want to send

Make ads catchy, creative and most importantly, memorable

Always include contact information and agency logo

Promotional Items Promotional items allow you to

put your logo on something people will use

Promotional items are great to have on-hand for attending events, such as information-sharing fairs and children’s functions

Examples: bookmarks, keychains, pencils, water bottles

Discounts Offer discounts or free rides

at various times Couple the event with quirky

or off-the-wall days, such as Friday the 13th or April Fools

Have fun with the customers on these days

Coupons Offer free-ride coupons in the newspaper or be

creative and include them in your city’s utility bill or other unique outlets

Have drivers collect coupons, recording route, day and time, to use as market research

Network With Other Public Transportation Providers

STEAL!!! Network with your peers Ask questions Transit providers are

more than willing to share ideas as public transportation agencies are not competing against each other