1 Stay-cation Program 2016 June 29, 2016
2 Stay-cation Program Middle and high school students 18 and under with current student ID ride for free Local, MetroRapid, and Flex 2010 – 2015, one month long during spring break month The stay-cation program is geared toward providing service for middle and high school students, ages 18 and under, free rides with their student ID. These students are able to ride over 34 of HART’s local, MetroRapid, and Flex routes. Originally this program ran from 2010 to 2015, coinciding with Spring Break, for a month-long period. We began our pilot project in 2016 with Hillsborough County Public Schools and Hillsborough County and have now extended the pilot timeline that ran from March 1st to June 10th .
3 STAY-cation Primary Promotional Material
4 HART Marketing Efforts Estimated costs: $15,700+Paid Media Non-Paid Media * Tampa Tribune (Friday Extra) * Flyers on buses * TBO.com (Things to Do) * goHART.org Homepage (promotional carousel) * Centro Mi Diario * Bus Annunciator (English & Spanish) * Florida Sentinel Bulletin * HART Signature Block (33,000+ first * La Gaceta generation s per month) * Facebook * HART Social Media Outlets (incl. Facebook) * Printing costs * Distribution at Community Relations Events * Distribution to Hillsborough County Public Libraries * Postings at HART Retail Sales Outlets
5 Multi-Channel Communication EffortsDistrict Website School Websites Social Media MySpot (HCPS Parent Portal) Newsdesk ParentLink Blasts ParentLink Phone Calls School Site Promotion
6 Approved Request to Board of County Commissioners $10,000 Supplemental Advertising Plan March 1 – June 10, 2016 Digital Billboards Facebook Ads Mix of paid and free radio promotions (pending negotiations) County Website Social Media Platforms
7 How to Ride HART
8 Stay-cation Rides Over the years, stay-cation ridership has fluctuated but we have maintained a minimum of 41,000 riders. Since March 2015, we have seen a significant increase, 88% (or nearly 36,000 more riders totaling 77,009 in May 2016).
9 2016 – Weekly Stay-cation Ridership
10 Top 10 Stay-cation RoutesWe have top ten best performing stay-cation routes extending throughout the County. Route 6, with over 22,000 riders, is at the top of this list. Seven of these routes attracted more than 10,000 riders each from March to April 2016. Reference: Rt 6 – 22,156 Rt 12 – 22,121 Rt 39 – 16,451 Rt 9 – 14,630 Rt 1 – 13,651 Rt 34 – 12,112 MetroRapid (400) and Rt 2 – 10,427 Rt 32 – 9,916 Rt 45 – 9,367 Rt 5 – 7,982
11 Route Attractors Schools King High Middleton High Chamberlain HighTampa Catholic Jefferson Pepin Academy Catapult Academy
12 Route Attractors Universities/Colleges Libraries USFUniversity of Tampa Everest HCC (Ybor) Everglades Libraries Saunders College Hill North Tampa Branch
13 Route Attractors Entertainment Busch GardensWestfield Citrus Park Mall International Plaza Westshore Plaza
14 Summer Blast Pass
15 School Transportation and Public Transportation Federal RegulationsFederally funded public transportation cannot operate exclusive school ‘trippers’ i.e. service exclusive to schools or students. By Federal regulation, all HART transit service must Be open to the public Operate a regular fixed route or fixed route with flex Have a published public schedule Subject to Title VI review HART service must abide by Americans with Disabilities Act provisions regardless of funding source Provide ADA paratransit service for persons with qualifying disabilities within ¾ mile of a bus route regardless of age. Unimproved bus stops prior to ADA are ‘grandfathered’ in for ADA compliance but new stops or improved stops must meet ADA ‘to the greatest extent possible’ . This includes landing pad connection to sidewalks and a clear accessible path from the bus stop to a known attractor. Can schools contract with HART for service? Usually found to be a violation of Federal Transit Administration ‘charter’ regulations except for passes or programs on regular routes. Charter regulations prohibit HART from providing special charters that otherwise would be contracted with competing private sector firms.
16 HART Marketing Efforts Non-Paid MediaFlyers on Buses goHART.org Homepage (promotional carousel) Bus Annunciator (English & Spanish) HART Signature Block (33,000+ first generation s per month) HART Social Media Outlets (including Facebook) Distribution at Community Relation Events Distribution to Hillsborough County Public Libraries (subject to County Public Library approval) Postings at HART Retail Sales Outlets Press release(s)
17 HART Marketing Efforts Paid Media OptionsVarious Printing Costs (i.e., promotional materials) Radio (30 second announcements) Target: Persons Age 12 – 49 Station(s): WFLZ-FM (93.3 FM - #1 Hits Music Station) IFLZ – Streaming WFLZ-FM WMTX-FM (100.7 FM – Adult Contemporary Format) IMTX – Streaming WFLZ-FM Radio Option A: $10,320. Number of weeks: Six Number of spots: 240 Est. % Market Reached/Frequency heard: 29.5% of Age 12-49, approximately 1.6 times. Radio Option B: $20,620. Number of weeks: Eight Number of spots: 472 Est. % Market Reached/Frequency heard: 43.1% of Ages 12-49, approximately 2.3 times.
18 Questions?