Class 1 – StarMetro
Target Audience: Tallahassee residents, StarMetro customers
Project Cost: $6,177.50
Description: StarMetro first introduced its route decentralization project, known as Nova 2010, in September 2009. Throughout September, October and November, StarMetro staff executed a public awareness campaign to solicit feedback from citizens and StarMetro customers on the new route design. Throughout the campaign, staff directly corresponded with over 1,500 unique individuals. This direct correspondence stemmed from listening sessions, public meetings, emails and inquiries via social networking sites. Other forms of communication and exposure for the new decentralization project included brochures, direct mail pieces, pocket-guides, car cards, talk shows, radio interviews and a series of articles in the newspaper. After the public awareness campaign, StarMetro presented the final plan and map to the City Commission for approval. The commission UNANIMOUSLY approved Nova2010.

Class 2 – Miami-Dade Transit
Target Audience: MDT’s entire riding and potential riding public
Project Cost: $53,840
Description: On Oct 1, 2009, MDT replaced its 25-year old fare collection system with a new smart card system to enhance customer convenience and flexibility, reduce fare evasion, and vastly improve ridership data. The EASY Card required a major education and outreach campaign to build awareness and acceptance of the new system and ensure that riders were prepared for the transition. The campaign included unique branding for the EASY Card, as well as radio and TV promotions, community outreach, interior/exterior bus and rail advertising, comprehensive print media campaign in three languages and an easy-to-use EASY Card website where riders can purchase, load, and register their EASY Cards for balance protection.

The riding public was made aware of all the benefits of the new system with a particular emphasis on the ease of use and flexibility of the new card. Patrons also were kept informed throughout the conversion to the new system, ensuring widespread acceptance and a smooth transition. During the system’s one-month soft launch phase, which ran through the end of September 2009, customers had the option of either using their EASY Card or paying cash at the faregates. Staff was stationed at each Metrorail station from Sept 18 to Oct 16 to give away thousands of unloaded EASY Cards and provide hands-on instruction on using the EASY card vending machines. During this time, free unloaded EASY Cards also were given away at major bus transfer points and select retail outlets.

Before the system’s official Oct. 1, 2009 launch, MDT already recorded more than 1 million boardings from the 150,000 specially coded EASY Cards that were distributed to specialty discount riders. This, along with the low level of passenger complaints about the new card after its implementation, prove that MDT’s campaign to build awareness, acceptance and support for the new system was effective.