Class I – Space Coast Area Transit

Target Audience: Single occupant car drivers/ commuters
Project Cost: $0
Description: The bold expressive layout of this ad encouraged commuters to “Try Ridersharing” as an alternative to paying outrageous prices for gas. As an added-value benefit derived from a contract with Florida Today Newspaper to print transit maps and schedules, Space Coast Area Transit received free ad space donated by Florida Today in their daily and 6 weekly newspapers. Therefore, there was no cost associated with production or ad space of the ridersharing ad. The month long print campaign netted a whopping 113% increase over the prior year in inquiries to the 800 phone number. Most callers requested custom information, from specific points of origin to specific destinations. The majority of points of origin were in neighborhoods where demographically, choice riders live. This statistic ties back into the demographics of the readers of Florida Today subscribers.

Class II – Hillsborough Area Regional Transit

Target Audience: Residents of specific communities served by Commuter Express
Project Cost: $20,000
Description: HART’s strategy used community newsletters in targeted residential communities to educate and encourage trial rides by commuters. Residental newsletters provide a neighborhood-focused forum to customize a message. In this case, HART promoted its Commuter Express routes and used a call to action that included a free 1-Day Unlimited Ride Farecard. The objective was to encourage trial rides and build ridership.

During this promotional period, HART experienced substantial ridership growth on each route featured in the Targeted Community Ridership Development campaign. Specifically, Route 51x grew by 145.5% when compared to the same period in July 2007. Route 20x experienced a 122.5% increase in ridership and Route 50x grew by 44.5%. In all, HART’s Commuter Express service grow by 40.2% during one month of this marketing campaign.