RHODY EXPRESS TRANSIT MARKETING PLAN
Draft: August 13, 2002
GOALS
* Create awareness and positive perception of a public transit system to serve the Florence area
now and into the future.
* Inspire independent living and mobility.
* Compliment economic and tourism activity.
* Lay and positive foundation for future transit expansion in the Florence area.
* Increase ridership
* Build partnerships in the Florence community.
* Promote a feeling of safety, security, and convenience in the transit system.
OBJECTIVES
* Keep the media engaged.
* Work closely with the system contractor to ensure transit promotions are coordinated and
efficient.
* Partner and inform stakeholders in a way that gives them pride and ownership in the success
of the system.
TARGET AUDIENCES
Ridership:
* Seniors / Disabled
* Students
* Employees
* Tourists
Elected officials
City staff and officials
LTD
Businesses
Media
Florence Area Chamber of Commerce
Non-profit organizations
Fraternal organizations
OTHER PARTNERS
ODOT
River Cities Taxi
Siuslaw School District
City of Florence
LTD
Siuslaw News
KCST
STRATEGIES
* Create a media team and media communication plan, including regular communications and
milestone stories.
* Maintain the bus shelters with community involvement.
* Do presentations to professional, civic, and neighborhood groups in the Florence area.
* Create a regular "Bus Talk" article for the media.
* Create a traveling exhibit showing Rhody Express progress in the community.
* Provide Rhody Express information to the Chamber of Commerce for wide distribution.
* Maintain and keep web site information current.
Short Term Projects and Plans (Now to December 31, 2002)
A. Bus Shelters
1. City to install bus shelters at Munsel Creek Apts. on Spruce St., at Oak Terrace
on Oak Street, at 43rd St. Apts., at 15th St. Apts., and at a location yet to be
determined. (Determination is that Greentrees may have a shelter to donate, so the
next logical location would be the Clinic on 9th Street.)
2. Task Force to arrange for stencil to etch "Rhody Express" logo on shelter glass
across back and obtain vinyl decals of the designed rhododendron to go on both
ends. ( Waiting for stencils from LTD)
3. LTD to provide and City to install 31 bus stop signs and install them at all stops,
starting with the sheltered stops. The signs will have a rhododendron logo on
them.
4. City to paint one sidewalk square at non-sheltered stops with a background
color and then a rhododendron (Waiting for stencils from LTD)
5. Task Force to arrange for media coverage and celebration / ribbon cutting
ceremony shortly after the installation of the first bus shelter.
6. City and Task Force to establish contract for "Adopt-A-Shelter"
maintenance of
the bus stops.
B. Miscellaneous Marketing
1. Ticket pass booklets to be available for purchase soon at Books and Bears in
Old Town, Safeway, Emporium, Bi-Mart, Fred Meyer, City Hall, and the Chamber
of Commerce. (River Cities Taxi given "go-ahead" to offer pass booklets to other
businesses. They buy and sell them at face value. Business name is mentioned on
schedule, no other advertisement.) .... Update: Safeway has agreed to sell tickets.
They are already for sale at Books and Bears, City Hall, and Siuslaw News.
2. First-time passengers ride free. (Future promotional goal.)
3. Ombudsman program encouraged. (Future promotional goal.)
4. What about a video presentation... "Your Rhody Express".. a short program
that can be shown at service clubs, gated communities and Senior Booster Center.
(Bill volunteered to produce the first production of this video for review of the
Committee.)
5. Establish a list of where all brochures are distributed and someone assigned to
keep them stocked. (Norma will establish this list and give it to the City.
She is already being responsible for keeping the establishments stocked.)
6. Advertise in the local paper and on Channel 10. (Norma has put in a pubic
service announcement on Channel 10 and the local paper is promoting a whole
week of free rides and publicity for the week of July 8th.) Update: Florence
Cinema wants to sponsor a week of free rides and Safeway is considering it.
Note: Max has said that he has established a flat fee of $100.00 per week for the free
rides.
7. New. Request that stores announce the arrival of the Rhody Express on their
store PA system, as well as the fact that tickets are available at their customer
service desk.
8. New. Make available monthly passes.
Longer Term Projects and Plans (January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003)
A. General Capital Improvements
1. Install more bus shelters.
2. Hopefully have enough ridership to require another bus or increase hours.
3. Install a musical horn on the bus to warn passengers of arrival. ( The tune "On
the road , or rhody, again" would be perfect. Max said that such horns should be
available at Napa Auto Parts and he does not object to it.)
4. Consider additional decorations on the bus
B. Marketing and General
1. Expand hours of operation
2. Advertise availability of service to employers, schools, and merchants.
3. Formalize a method to track ridership figures related to potential route changes
and/or efficiency improvements.