Ridesharing as a Complement to Transit (2012)

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25 chapter five Survey reSultS: Marketing and technology Marketing StrategieS integrating rideSharing and tranSit Marketing is critical to the success of ridesharing and tran- sit. The 41 organizations that participated in the survey were asked who markets their ridesharing program. In this section of the survey, both transit and non-transit agencies answered the same questions. Nearly two-thirds (25) said the ridesharing program is marketed together with pub- lic transit, although more than a third said it is marketed independently. In addition, it appears fairly common for a ridesharing program to be marketed by more than one agency. Nearly half (19) reported that they market the ride- sharing program along with another organization such as a TMA or state or regional entity. More than one-third (16), on the other hand, reported that they promote the program themselves. Incentives are an important component of any marketing program. More than half of those surveyed indicated that their ridesharing program includes incentives. Two-thirds (16), for example, offer prizes as incentives, whereas some give recognition in print or web publications or offer direct cash subsidies. Less common incentives include transit fare discounts, loyalty programs, commuter checks, and HOV parking as shown in Figure 10. It does not appear to be very common for ridesharing participants to receive credits or vouchers toward their tran- sit fares, as shown in Table 16. It appears even less common for transit riders to receive credits or vouchers for ride- sharing services (Table 17); only three respondents said they offer ridesharing credits or vouchers to their transit riders. However, some agencies do give ridesharing participants credits toward transit fares. The following profile describes transit fare incentives offered by public transit operators to ridesharing participants in three different states. Profile: vanPoolerS get dealS on tranSit rideS at dart, Pace, and king county Metro DART in Iowa gives vanpoolers an identification card allow- ing them to ride free on all its buses. The trips are usually short ones in downtown Des Moines, where they work dur- ing the day. Many vanpoolers also work at a major employer, such as Principal Financial Group, where the employer pays a lump sum to DART for all its employees to ride the buses free. Vanpoolers who ride a Pace bus in Illinois to or from their vanpool pick-up point are eligible for a 30-day Commuter Club Card. The card allows vanpoolers unlimited rides on all Pace buses. Vanpoolers can also receive a discount on a 30-day pass for rides on Chicago Transit Authority and Pace fixed routes. In the Puget Sound region in Washington, companies can provide their employees with a subsidized pass that can be used not only on public transit but also for vanpools in the region (King County Metro 2009). The annual transporta- tion pass program, which is called ORCA Business Passport, requires participating companies to buy a pass for every benefits-eligible employee. Companies, however, can choose if they want their employees to co-pay up to 50% of the cost of an individual pass. In 2010, nearly 700 companies in King County alone participated in the pass program. incorPorating cuStoMerS’ PerSPectiveS Gathering feedback from customers is an important element in developing and improving ridesharing programs. Survey questions addressed how both public transit and non-transit agencies gather feedback from customers to improve services. More than a third of respondents (14) indicated that the cus- tomer service department collects feedback to strengthen the program (see Table 18). One respondent echoed this sentiment with the following comment: “We have made adjustments to the web site and program guidelines after receiving feedback from our rideshare line or email.” Those surveyed also reported beginning the ridesharing program owing to customer inter- action (six) or customer requests (ten). Nearly half (16) reported periodically surveying ridesharing customers for feedback. Agencies were queried about how often they surveyed customers. As illustrated in Figure 11, half of those who responded to the question (ten) reported surveying customers at least once a year. The rest indicated that they survey less frequently than that or periodically with no set time frame. When asked about what method respondents use to survey customers, three-quarters (15) indicated that they used e-mail surveys, making it the most common form of collecting

FIGURE 10 Incentives offered. (If you indicated above that the rideshare program provides incentives, please check all incentive programs that you provide.) (n = 24.) TABLe 16 DO PARTICIPANTS IN THe RIDeSHARe PROGRAM ReCeIVe VOuCHeRS OR OTHeR CReDIT TOWARD THeIR TRANSIT FAReS? Response Count Percent Rideshare program participants do not receive vouchers or credit toward their transit fare. 25 71 Rideshare program participants do receive vouchers or credit toward their transit fare. 10 29 Total responses 35 100 TABLe 17 DO TRANSIT RIDeRS ReCeIVe VOuCHeRS OR OTHeR CReDIT TOWARD THe RIDeSHARING SeRVICeS? Response Count Percent Transit riders do not receive vouchers or other credit toward ridesharing services. 34 92 Transit riders do receive vouchers or other credit toward ridesharing services. 3 8 Total responses 37 100 TABLe 18 HOW HAVe YOu INCORPORATeD FeeDBACK FROM PeOPLe WHO uSe THe RIDeSHARING PROGRAM? Response Count Percent Customers are surveyed periodically for feedback. 16 43 The customer services department of our agency collects comments, which are used to improve the program. 14 38 The ridesharing program is part of our agency because of customer requests for service. 10 27 The ridesharing program was initially designed through interaction with customers. 6 16 Not applicable 8 22 Other 8 22 Total responses 37 100 Answers exceed 100% because respondents could choose multiple answers. 26

27 customer feedback. More than one-third (seven) implement a telephone survey, and one-quarter (five) a postal survey. Twelve respondents use a combination of two or more methods (Figure 12). technology and Social Media Technology has helped to integrate ridesharing and public transit, particularly through the use of website tools. For example, more than half (19) said they use a trip planner that allows customers to search for both transit and ride-matching. even more organizations and agencies (27) provide a ride- matching link on their website for carpools and/or vanpools, as shown in Table 19. Only five agencies (13%) provide matching on social networking sites such as Facebook, and only three (8%) give customers the ability to access transit and ridesharing pro- grams through a mobile phone application. Several agencies, however, reported that they are in the midst of developing technological tools to engage customers in ridesharing. Comments from survey respondents include: “Future system refines will include mobile apps and social marketing integration.” FIGURE 11 Customer survey frequency. (If you indicated above that you surveyed customers, how often do you survey customers?) (n = 19.) FIGURE 12 Survey mediums. (If you indicated that you surveyed customers, what survey mechanisms do you use for the ridesharing program?) (n = 20.)

28 FIGURE 13 Social media sites used to promote ridesharing. (If you indicated above that you use social media in promoting ridesharing with transit, what sites do you use?) (n = 19.) “We are developing a more integrated strategy for providing this information to the public . . . that will include mobile apps.” “We are currently working on a multi-modal trip planner that would provide options/itineraries for transit and other modes. Currently, we provide trip planners for transit, ride- sharing, bicycling, but these are all offered independently from each other.” Facebook (16) and Twitter (12) were the most common social media sites used to promote ridesharing (see Figure 13). MySpace was used by only one transit agency. The following are specific examples of agencies using Facebook and other social media to reach customers. Profile: Scat and dart coMMunicate through Social Media SCAT, a department of the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners in Florida, uses technology in innovative ways to reach out to the community and promote its transpor- tation services. Previously, riders had to call the agency to learn of route and service changes. In 2010, SCAT expanded its use of technology in marketing by launching a Facebook page and Twitter account, SCATBus. The agency uses the social media sites to inform transit riders of any changes in service—such as bus service delays and route deviations— and to provide information about its route schedules and TABLe 19 HOW DOeS TeCHNOLOGY PLAY A ROLe IN SuPPORTING THe INTeGRATION OF RIDeSHARING WITH TRANSIT? Response Count Percent The program has a link to ridematching for carpools and/or vanpools on our agency’s website. 27 73 The program has a trip planner that searches for both ridematching and transit options to satisfy a given query. 19 51 Both the ridesharing program and transit operations are promoted on social media (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.). 15 40 Customers can obtain carpool and vanpool matches for our program on a social networking site (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.). 5 13 Transit and ridesharing programs are accessible via a mobile phone app 3 8 Other 7 19 Total responses 37 100 Answers exceed 100% because respondents could choose multiple answers.

29 maps, vanpool program, and park-and-ride lots. A link to the agency’s “Vanpool Information Request Form” used for ride-matching is available on the Facebook website. Simi- larly, links to the agency’s Facebook and Twitter websites are featured on the main SCAT website, www.ridescat.com, and icons for both sites are on the agency’s bus schedules. The Facebook and Twitter websites are also intertwined so that updates to one are automatically sent to the other. Roughly 30 people follow SCAT on Twitter, and more than 60 people “like” the agency’s Facebook page. DART operates about 12 of its vans into Des Moines from Ames, 35 miles to the north. A vanpooler who misses his van can ride on any of the others, providing there is room. The general manager of DART sees an opportunity for these vanpoolers to check on real-time availability through the use of DART’s Facebook page. He believes it is currently a method of communication among fellow riders as well as among riders from different vans in the same area. In the future, he intends to provide on-line ride-matching on Facebook. dynaMic rideSharing Dynamic ridesharing is a new technology that has few partic- ipants. It can be defined as “technology-assisted slugging,” as rides are usually arranged on the fly in real time, often using mobile phones. As illustrated in Table 20, most agencies sur- veyed do not offer it. Only one agency said it participated in dynamic ridesharing, whereas another reported trying the program in the past but said “it was not successful.” Close to a third indicated that they do not see dynamic ridesharing as part of their mission (12). However, 18 agencies said they were interested in dynamic ridesharing and offering it in the future. In comments received on the survey, five others indicated that they are already promoting dynamic ridesharing or are in the planning stages. This nascent state of dynamic ridesharing is reflected in the following respondent’s comment: “We are waiting to see demonstrated meaningful results and means to address security concerns.” WSDOT has funded Phase One of a dynamic ridesharing pilot project, which is being implemented during Phase Two by Avego Corporation in 2011 (see Figure 14). MTC has awarded funding to develop a pilot program in three counties. (See the MTC profile in chapter four.) Profile: dynaMic rideSharing coMing to Seattle The first large-scale real-time ridesharing program in the country—“go520”—went live in 2011. Avego Corporation uses GPS-enabled smartphones to connect riders with driv- ers on State Route 520. Avego signed up 1,000 participants who travel in the 15-mile route between Redmond and Seattle to participate in the project. In phase one, “go520” was launched, Avego added phase two, which provides a guaranteed ride service for those who do not get a real-time match. Riders and drivers register in advance to participate. There are mandatory criminal history and sex offender registry checks for all participants, and mandatory driving record checks and proof of insurance requirements for all drivers. To use the sys- tem, drivers with iPhones or Windows Phone 7 must download Avego’s free smartphone application. When a ride is requested, the Avego Shared Transport System guides the driver to a pre- established safe pick-up point along the route and riders are sent the make, model, and license plate number of the driv- er’s car. The rider is given a one-time pin number to identify himself or herself to the driver. The pin number also serves to charge the rider an electronic payment of $1 plus 20 cents per mile traveled. For a typical 12-mile trip, the cost will be $3.40, comparable to a two-zone peak fare of $3 on transit. Pick-up points can be any public place. Pick-up and drop- off points where a driver will meet a rider include Children’s Hospital, the university of Washington, selected park-and- ride lots, and the Microsoft campus in Redmond. Some of the established pick-up points are at transit stops, as one goal of the project is to cover the “last mile” to or from connections with transit. For safety reasons, no pick-ups can occur from residential addresses. Drivers receive incentives to participate. In addition to the payments they receive from riders, Avego-approved drivers will earn 85 cents for every rider picked up and 17 cents per mile. Riders are only limited by the capacity of the vehicle, but federal rules limit the reimbursement for the total riders TABLe 20 WHAT IS YOuR AGeNCY’S PRACTICe ReGARDING DYNAMIC RIDeSHARING? Response Count Percent We are interested but not currently involved in dynamic ridesharing. 18 45 We do not view it as part of our mission. 12 30 We offer or are participating in dynamic ridesharing. 1 2 Other 9 22 Total responses 40 100

30 in a car to 50 cents per mile. The Avego system credits the rider’s and driver’s account and gives them an instant receipt. WSDOT sponsored phase one, a $400,000 pilot project, which included a pre-pilot web-based survey conducted by the Washington State Transportation Center. The “go520” project was conceived to coincide with the introduction of tolls on the Lake Washington Bridge. It is expected that the tolls will give an added incentive for commuters to carpool, boosting participation in Phase two. FIGURE 14 Seattle’s dynamic ridesharing pilot project. (Courtesy: Avego Corporation website.)