Marketing and Communication

Todd LitmanVictoria Transport Policy Institute

Presented IETT Professional Development Workshop

Istanbul16 June 2015

Channel Don Draper Channel Don Draper

Planners traditionally consider consumer demand to be fixed. It is actually quite flexible.

Transportation professionals can use marketing tools to better understand demands:

•User surveys

•Focus groups

•Product trials

•Promotion campaigns

Propose Bold Solutions

Action Example

Develop bold solutions to your city’s problems

We propose a network of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes that connect all sections of the city.

Identify what you need to make this happen

We will need additional funding and dedicated bus lanes on major roadways.

Describe the benefits, and who will benefit

This will create efficient, reliable, comfortable public transit services which benefit bus passengers, and by reducing traffic congestion and accident risk, also benefits motorists.

Acknowledge problems, and explain how you will respond

This will require changing the design of many roadways, but we will make use of the latest traffic engineering practices.

Describe problems what will result if this is not done.

Without this program, Istanbul’s traffic will become more severe, reducing economic growth and residents’ quality of life.

Communicate Benefits

• Tell stories

• Paint pictures

• Engage residents

• Brag about your successes!

Let citizens know how the plan helps them.

Motorists Benefit TooMotorists Benefit Too

More balanced transport policy is no more “anti-car” than a healthy diet is anti-food. Motorists have every reason to support these reforms:

• Reduced traffic and parking congestion

• Improved safety

• Improved travel options

• Reduced chauffeuring burden

• Often the quickest and most cost effective way to improve driving conditions

6

Quality of lifeQuality of life

Money Cannot Buy:

•Fitness and health (at least 20-30 minutes a day of physical activity)

•A loving family, good friends and a supportive community

•Safety and security

•Faith and personal growth

•Dignity and pride

Example - SmokingExample - Smoking

Medical experts once promoted safer cigarettes and cancer cures. Increasingly they now emphasize programs to stop smoking and regulations to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke.

04/18/23

Example: Traffic SafetyExample: Traffic Safety

“Active” safety strategies, such as more cautious driving, seat belts, child restraints and helmets, provide the greatest potential safety benefits.

Seat belt use reduces traffic fatalities by 45%. Air bags can reduce fatalities an additional 10%, but require seat belt use to be effective.

04/18/23

Example: Traffic SafetyExample: Traffic Safety

Technology/Passive• Crash-friendly

roadways• Crash-friendly vehicles• Air bags• Improved emergency

response

Behavior Change• Seat belts use

• Child restraints

• Helmets

• Reduced drunk driving

• Speed reduction

• Choose safer vehicles

• Driver skill development

04/18/23

Example: Traffic SafetyExample: Traffic Safety

The greatest traffic safety gains have resulted from changes in travel behavior, not from new technologies. Given suitable products (e.g., convenient and comfortable seat belts) and encouragement, many motorists want to choose safer habits.

04/18/23

Potential For Change

Some people would prefer to drive less and use alternatives more. Focus on them.

What would help these people change their travel behavior?

Change Management

• “Be a change agent”

• “Think outside the box”

• “Turn problems into opportunities.”

• “Create the future you want to live in”

• “Build partnerships”

• “Think strategically”

• “We CAN do that!”

Examples – Examples – Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, IndiaIndia

Ahmedabad is a city of five million in the western state of Gujarat. In 2009, the city set the benchmark for high-quality transit in India with the Janmarg bus rapid transit system.

Janmarg, which means “the people’s way” in Gujarati and moves more than 130,000 people per day, was a major improvement for a city that previously had few options for the 90% of residents that do not own cars.

Today, Ahmedabad is a regional leader in transport and urban planning, with progressive legislation on parking and Transit-oriented Development, dense, mixed-use development, parking reform, and improvements for walking, cycling, and even better public transit.

Examples – Examples – Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaArgentina

In 2013, Buenos Aires transformed its iconic 9 de Julio Avenue, one of the world’s widest urban street, from 20 car traffic lanes in an efficient, modern public transit corridor which includes bus lanes and pedestrianization for more than 100 blocks, plus development of a ecobici bikeshare program and 300 km cycling network, and intersection treatments to improve pedestrian safety.

Examples – Examples – Guangzhou, Guangzhou, ChinaChina

This megacity on the Pearl River Delta is home to the highest-performing BRT system in the world, carrying more than 850,000 passengers per day through 26 stations with speeds equal to metro.

Guangzhou’s achievements include more than just BRT development. It has one of the largest bike share systems in the world, and have transformed underused areas, such as the often-derelict space under overpasses, into beautiful public spaces.

Examples – Examples – Mexico CityMexico City

Mexico City boasts 5 lines of Metrobus BRT, one of the highest-performing bike share systems in the world, groundbreaking parking reform, and a revitalized, pedestrian-centric historical center. In 2012, Metrobus Line 4 proved that a world-class BRT can help redevelop a dense central area while helping to preserve its cultural and heritage values.

In addition to improving commutes, the project has helped to massively improve the streetscape and quality of life in the downtown area – making many of these streets exclusively for cyclists, pedestrians, and BRT.

Public Transport Reform in Public Transport Reform in SeoulSeoul

In 2002 Seoul implemented various transport including a reduction in downtown road space, and a new BRT system with more than 5,000 high-quality buses operating on 107 km of median busways, and improved integration between buses and the already existing, extensive subway system.

As a result, public transit customer satisfaction has improved, bus accidents have declined and transit ridership has increased. Traffic congestion was reduced and liveability improved, particularly in the downtown core. On the three initial BRT corridors, bus speeds rose up to 85% in the morning rush hour and up to 99% in the afternoon. The express buses using the median lanes carry six times more passengers than other road lanes used by cars in the same corridor.

Examples – Examples – Seoul, South Seoul, South KoreaKorea

By developing a Bus Rapid Transit system and implementing other traffic management strategies, Seoul was able to remove a large urban highway and return the corridor to a riverbed that beautified the city and is a major attraction for residents and tourists.

Examples – Examples – Tehran, IranTehran, Iran

Iran is the most urbanized country in the Middle East, and Tehran is one of the largest metropolises in Asia. A decade ago, Tehran had few options for getting around their city other than driving on increasingly congested roads.

Over the last decade, Tehran has built more than 200 km of metro rail, transporting 2 million passengers per day. The city also created a high quality BRT network of 100 km that transports another 2 million daily. Beyond that, Tehran has implemented a congestion pricing program to reduce traffic in the city, and developed a bike share system in one of their administrative districts.

Examples – Examples – Chınese Vehıcle Chınese Vehıcle RestrıctıonsRestrıctıons

Three mega cities in China – Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou – have implemented a unique quota policy to control car ownership growth. In this paper, we explore how special characteristics of China’s rapid urbanisation and motorisation contribute to the formulation of this unique policy. These cities, however, have adopted different policy designs. Auction, lottery and a hybrid of these two mechanisms are used in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou respectively.

Example: LondonExample: London

Since 2003 London has charged for driving private automobiles in its central area during weekdays. This significantly reduces congestion in that area, improved bus and taxi service, and generates substantial revenues (although more than a third are used to finance the payment system). The program expanded to new areas in 2007 but was reduced back to its original size in 2011.

Motorists pay by Internet or at kiosks. License numbers of vehicles driving in the area are tracked using roadside cameras.

Example – Medellín, Colombia

 Medellín, Columbıa is becoming famous for innovative sustainable transport. Recent efforts to modernize public transit, create better public spaces and improve safety are helping transform the city. These projects include the development of bus rapid transit (called MetroPlús) and the creation of a bike-share program -- new transportation elements that are integrated with existing metro and cable car systems. In addition, the city is building 1.6 million square meters of new public space.

Road Pricing in SingaporeRoad Pricing in Singapore

Singapore first implemented an Area Licensing Scheme in 1975 and Electronic Road Pricing in 1998. It is designed to minimize traffic congestion and maintain optimal traffic speeds of 45 to 65 km/h for expressways and 20 to 30 km/h for arterial roads.

Several Studies have concluded that the ERP has reduced congestion and pollution significantly and, in conjunction with a comprehensive TDM strategy maintained high mobility. The establishment of the restricted zone (RZ) led to a reduction of 31% of traffic in the city area which is mainly due to motorists not using the CBD as a bypass.

““30 in 10”30 in 10”

Los Angeles is implementing a “30 in 10” transit program, in which 30 years of planned public transport improvements are being implemented in just one decade. Residents support this program because it promises to provide real transport improvements within their lifetime. 24

Examples – Examples – Vancouver, Vancouver, CanadaCanada

The City of Vancouver's automobile mode share has declined to about half of all trips (most North American cities have about 80% automobile mode share), offset by growth in walking, cycling and public transit trips. The city has already surpassed its long-term target to reduce vehicle trips at leat 20% by 2040.

New Planning ResourcesNew Planning Resources

26

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

• How well does IETT communicate the benefits of high quality public transit and transit-oriented development?

• How can IETT do better? • Who are potential partners for

communicating transit benefits?• How should messages be oriented toward

different audiences (policy makers, businesses, current users, potential users, developers)?

“If Health Matters: Evaluating Transport Health Impacts”

“Evaluating Public Transit Benefits and Costs”

“Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis”

“Parking Management Best Practices”

“The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be”

“Evaluating Smart Growth Benefits”

“Online TDM Encyclopedia”

and more...

www.vtpi.org