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COMMUTESMART ANNUAL REPORT 2016 AN INITIATIVE OF THE REGIONAL PLANNING COMISSION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM i CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO) CommuteSmart Annual Report October 2015 – September 2016 For further information, please contact Mrs Ricki Hall, CommuteSmart Program Manager Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama Email: rhall@rpcgb.org Date Reported: JANUARY 31, 2017 This report was prepared as a cooperative effort of the U.S Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB), as staff to the MPO, by the requirement of Title 42 USC 7401 et seq., Clean Air Act and 40 CFR Parts 51 and 93, Air Quality Conformity Rules and Regulations The contents of this report not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the USDOT CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INCENTIVE PROGRAMS VANPOOL OUTREACH SOCIAL MEDIA // WEBSITE ADVERTISING // PUBLIC RELATIONS PARTNERS CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 11 13 16 21 3/31/17 2:10 PM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CommuteSmart is an initiative of the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham that is supported by funds from the Alabama Department of Transportation and Surface Transportation Program (STP) The program’s mission is to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion by encouraging alternative modes of commuting CommuteSmart uses financial incentives, support services, outreach activities and corporate partnerships to achieve its mission For the fourth year, CommuteSmart sustained 14 million vehicle miles reduced Marketing through company partnerships and media continues as the main sources of engaging commuters and increasing the awareness of the benefits of alternative commuting From October 2015 to September 2016, the database rose to 23,683 after 2,022 new registrants were added Program participants reported 14,674,383 vehicle miles reduced this fiscal year The miles are divided between 4,455,721 vehicle miles reduced through vanpooling and 10,218,662 vehicle miles reduced through alternative commutes including carpooling, transit, bicycling, walking, and working from home (Figure 1) Rideshare by Enterprise maintains the management of CommuteSmart’s vanpool program this fiscal year Vehicle emissions and traffic are reduced the more people take an alternative commute to work, but commuter savings continue to increase CommuteSmart participants who actively logged their commutes in fiscal year 2016 saved an estimated $6,116,048 including commute costs such as lower maintenance and insurance Included in that amount is $1,451,818 in fuel cost saved by reducing 407,816 gallons of fuel (Figure 2) CommuteSmart’s annual report gives an outline of the incentive programs and outreach that took place in fiscal year 2016 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM Figure Vanpool & Alternative Commute Vehicle Miles Reduced Annual Comparisons ALTERNATIVE COMMUTING CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd VANPOOLING 3/31/17 2:10 PM Figure Commuter Savings CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM INCENTIVE PROGRAMS GETGREEN CommuteSmart uses incentives to promote program participation When a commuter is new to the CommuteSmart program they start out in GetGreen In the GetGreen program new participants earn $1 per day in the first 90 days, up to $70 Any commuter living or working in the CommuteSmart region, which includes Jefferson, Shelby, South Blount and West St Clair County, is eligible for GetGreen incentives In FY 2016, CommuteSmart obtained 836 GetGreen enrollees through outreach events, social media, advertising and employer engagement (Figure 3) Participants in GetGreen logged approximately 720,189 vehicle miles reduced last year, or an average of 861 miles reduced per participant The program cost for GetGreen was $32,736 or just under 4.5 cents per vehicle mile reduced Figure New GetGreen Members CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM COMMUTERCLUB Once commuters complete their first 90-days, they are moved to the CommuterClub progam to encourage the continued use of alternative commutes Commuters who continue to log at least 20 alternative commutes will receive a $25 gift card quarterly CommuterClub participants can choose from one of gift card options including Chevron/Texaco, Publix, BJCTA Transit Pass, Cahaba Cycles, CVS, The Summit, and Express Oil Change There were 856 new commuters registered in CommuterClub (Figure 4) this fiscal year CommuterClub program costs were $201,335 and resulted in the elimination of 9,498,473 vehicle miles from the region’s roadways, breaking down the program cost to approximately cents per vehicle mile reduced Figure New CommuterClub Members CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM EMERGENCY RIDE HOME One of the biggest concerns that commuters have when transitioning from driving alone to taking an alternative commute is, “What happens if I have an emergency?” CommuteSmart helps to relieve the stress of the unknown by providing the Emergency Ride Home (ERH) incentive Program participants that are actively logging their commutes are eligible for up to emergency rides home yearly for qualified events such as illness, family emergency or unscheduled overtime When a commuter contacts CommuteSmart with a valid ERH reason, transportation is provided to them back to the origin of their commute at no cost to them Though commuters are often worried about needing an ERH, the program costs are still on par with previous years In FY 2016, CommuteSmart participants received 55 ERHs at a total cost of $3,111.48 (Figure 5) The average cost per ERH was $56.57 Figure Emergency Ride Home Totals CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM VANPOOL Commuting by vanpool has a multitude of benefits, especially for those dealing with a longer commute Less stressful commutes, increased morale, lower levels of tardiness/ absenteeism, reduced parking demand and increased commuter cost savings The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham provides a $400 subsidy for to passenger vans and a $450 subsidy for 12 and 15 passenger vans Rideshare by Enterprise manages the CommuteSmart vanpool program Enterprise’s staff continued to collaborate with CommuteSmart’s outreach team at special events and on marketing campaigns throughout the area Through all of the outreach efforts and subsidy, vanpool participants: • • • • • Sustained an average of 36 operating vanpools monthly (Figure 6), resulting in 55,110 cars off the highway in 2016; Decreased carbon dioxide emissions by 1,722 tons and carbon monoxide emissions by 66.88 tons (Figure 7); Reduced 177,561 gallons of fuel used for a total savings of $336,117 in fuel costs (Figure 8); Took 83,624 fewer passenger trips, which reduced vehicle miles travelled by 4,474,527; and Filled 3,570 available seats on vanpools, maintaining 82% occupancy for 2016 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 3/31/17 2:10 PM Figure Vanpool Fuel Savings CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 10 3/31/17 2:10 PM OUTREACH For CommuteSmart, outreach is the main source of promoting the program and creating awareness of the benefits of taking a clean commute Outreach activities include fostering partner relationships, promotional products, informational materials, social media presence, appealing to customers in person, and traditional advertising/public relations campaigns Using these activities, CommuteSmart works with employer and community partners to grow the number of people participating in the program OUTREACH COORDINATORS CommuteSmart’s outreach team partners with community and employers around the region to promote the benefits of the program The marketing tools offered by CommuteSmart, including presentations, special events, giveaways, monthly email blasts and transportation demand management planning, aid in strengthening these relationships CommuteSmart’s annual Bike to Work Day celebration continues to be a huge success in the community Partnering with local coffee houses around the city to host “energizer stations” increases local awareness of CommuteSmart through social and traditional media campaigns 11 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 11 3/31/17 2:10 PM CommuteSmart welcomed Zyp Bikeshare, Corporate Realty, University Place Apartments, Positive Maturity, City Wholeshare, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and HealthSouth as new partners this year These partners connect CommuteSmart to an audience of 3,025 employees, students, and residents 125 9,122 53 811 128 35 497 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 12 3/31/17 2:10 PM SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE Constantly looking for ways to interact with both existing customers as well as potential customers, CommuteSmart uses an internet presence through social media and its website to accomplish these goals As more people utilize the internet and social media channels for information, CommuteSmart continues to communicate and engage with audiences Each one offers a great opportunity to improve brand awareness, customer service, and website traffic New business breaks have been offered through the exposure from the website and social media channels CommuteSmart’s social media focus is on Facebook and Twitter Facebook page likes increased to 988 and reached nearly 190,122 people On Twitter, CommuteSmart has 758 followers and garnered more than 21,922 impressions Interactive content including testimonials, videos and program material are amongst the informative content that CommuteSmart uses on the website Various sources helped generate traffic to the website Over 44% of the website traffic came from individuals typing in www.commutesmart.org (Figure 9) In FY2016 the website received 49,915 visitors with 21,076 visiting for the first time (Figure 10) 13 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 13 3/31/17 2:10 PM Figure Website Statistics www.commutesmart.org CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 14 3/31/17 2:10 PM Figure 10 Traffic Sources Overview www.commutesmart.org 15 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 15 3/31/17 2:10 PM ADVERTISING & PUBLIC RELATIONS An ongoing marketing/outreach campaign was developed and implemented to help CommuteSmart motivate people throughout the region to make changes that will help improve air quality and reduce the number of vehicles on the road Strategies for the outreach campaign included advertising on radio, print, television and digital media targeting commuters CommuteSmart partnered with Zyp BikeShare to produce and air a series of Bike Safety messages on WBRC-TV In addition to the messages about bike safety, CommuteSmart was featured on multiple live news segments that aired during Good Day Alabama to promote Bike to Work Day CommuteSmart also partnered with WIAT-TV CBS42 in a combined promotional spot for CommuteSmart and the WIAT Early Morning News A :30 second promotional message was produced that highlighted commuters getting into a CommuteSmart van to drive to work The audio told viewers to be smart commuters by carpooling and vanpooling This promotional message aired in a heavy rotation throughout the campaign and continued to air throughout the year Various informative promotional items were used by CommuteSmart to inform the general public about the program There was also a focus on alerting the public of air quality alert days, and this was done with media notification and ALDOT message boards The media outreach campaign combined several media sources including digital, mobile, print, television and radio This combination of media helped build the brand and drive consumers to the website The logo used for CommuteSmart includes simple icons to demonstrate the various options to participate in the program including walking, riding a bike, taking transit, carpooling, vanpooling and telecommuting CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 16 3/31/17 2:10 PM A 7-week radio campaign that aired on local radio stations mid-February through early April kicked off the media outreach campaign The strategy was to reach listeners in the early part of the year when they are making resolutions and positive changes The radio campaign ran on radio stations in the market IHeartMedia delivered a strong campaign, and provided additional exposure with added value spots as well as a website presence CommuteSmart sponsored the Total Traffic Report on radio stations that reached people while they were sitting in traffic All of the radio and television messages were designed to push consumers to the CommuteSmart website This offered a measurable way to determine the effectiveness of the messages A major increase in website traffic coincided with the media campaigns The programming selections exemplify the diversity of the target audiences intended to be reached There was a deliberate focus to run the advertisements in the morning and afternoon when individuals are dealing with commuting issues HOT107.7 and Hallelujah were included in the media mix to target the African American population HOT107.7 ran a series of “Commuter Tips” during drive time programming HOT107.7 also provided a booth at the 107 Days to Better Health event to engage people who take a clean commute to work Starnes Publishing was included as part of the campaign to reach specific communities throughout Jefferson and Shelby Counties with a targeted print campaign A comprehensive digital media campaign focused on reaching people who are concerned about the environment and would be more likely to consider an alternate commute to work Components included managed networks, retargeting and Facebook outreach In addition, a video pre-roll campaign ran on WBMA-TV’s website to reach consumers through another digital media platform The television campaign traditionally airs in first quarter; however, with a political year that included a primary in March the television rates were higher than normal Adding to the expensive rates, stations were not allowed to offer bonus spots during that political window The television campaign instead aired in July and August This resulted in a longer campaign that spread over a month window Public Relations efforts also included a series of radio and television interviews with the CommuteSmart outreach staff, which aired 11 times across television stations and radio stations This added value alone provided approximately 264,300 impressions for the CommuteSmart program 17 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 17 3/31/17 2:10 PM TELEVISION The television flight aired from June 27, 2016 to August 28, 2016 A total of television stations were purchased in the market A breakdown of the television campaign and the total amount of added value that the television stations provided, $88,395, are shown in Figure 11 Cable was included to add frequency and to include prime time programming Figure 11 Television Campaign Cost and Added Value Comparison CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 18 3/31/17 2:10 PM RADIO CommuteSmart’s radio campaign ran from February 15, 2016 to April 3, 2016, on stations Included with the buy was $39,935 in added value from the stations The breakdown of the radio campaign, including the purchase and the added value, are illustrated in Figure 12 The total value of the campaign was $84,635 Figure 12 Radio Campaign Cost and Added Value Comparison 19 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 19 3/31/17 2:10 PM PRINT / INTERNET Summit Media Group focused on the Birmingham metro area The campaign ran August – September 30, 2016 Campaign Strategy: Reach the target market of people who are concerned about their environment; primarily female Starnes Publishing was included as part of the campaign to target specific communities through a targeted print campaign A print ad ran in local publications across Jefferson and Shelby Counties These publications include: Cahaba Sun, 280 Living, Hoover Sun, The Homewood Star, Vestavia Voice and Village Living Ads ran in April, May and June 2016 Combining the purchased and added value (Figure 13), the total print and internet campaign was valued at $22,003 Figure 13 Internet Campaign CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 20 3/31/17 2:10 PM GOLD PARTNERS Alabama Power City of Montevallo Infinity Insurance Protective Life Southern Company Services The University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Alabama Health Services VA Medical Center Vallocycle SILVER PARTNERS Alabama Gas Corporation AMERICAN CAST IRON PIPE CO Baker Donelson Baptist Health System Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center Cahaba Cycles Children’s Health System Children’s South City of Birmingham City of Hoover Daxko Jefferson County Department of Health healthsouth MTR Properties Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) Samford University Shelby Baptist Medical Center St.Vincent’s Health System Virginia College Vulcan Materials 21 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 21 3/31/17 2:10 PM BRONZE PARTNERS Advantage Resourcing Alabama Media Group Altec, Inc American Family Care Balch & Bingham, LLP Barber’s/Mayfield BBVA Compass Bank BE&K/KBR Birmingham Association of Realtors Birmingham Business Alliance Birmingham Coca-Cola Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority Birmingham Public Library Bradford Real Estate Group Brasfield & Gorrie Brookwood Medical Center Brown Mackie College Buck Creek Stain Glass Bud’s Best Cookies Callahan Eye Foundation at UAB Cardiovascular Associates of the Southeast City Wholesale Colonial Properties Cooper Green Mercy Hospital Corporate Realty Services Daniel Corporation EyeSight Foundation of Alabama Fortis Institute GLENWOOD, INC GOLDEN FLAKE Harris Tynes Management (Crescent Building & Park Place) CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 22 HMS Host Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce Intermark Group ITT Technical Institute Jefferson County Commission Jefferson State Community College Kinder Morgan Lakeshore Foundation Lawson State Community College Molton, Allen & Williams, LLC Motion Industries Nathan & Nathan, PC Piggly Wiggly Distribution Pride Staffing Princeton Baptist Medical Center Regions Financial Corporation Shelby County Board of Education Sheraton Birmingham Hotel Sign Faces Southern Research Institute South Shelby Chamber of Commerce SPOC Automation State Farm Insurance Superior Mason Corporation Thompson Tractor T-Mobile Trinity Medical Center University of Alabama University Place Apartments U.S Pipe and Foundry Viva Health, Inc Watts Realty 3/31/17 2:10 PM COMMUNITY PARTNERS Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Alabama Environmental Council Alabama Partners for Clean Air Alabama Rivers Alliance BiciCoop Birmingham Bike Club Birmingham Botanical Gardens Black Warrior Riverkeeper City Action Partnership (CAP) Zyp Bikeshare Cobbs, Allen & Hall Eco Three Gateway Homewood Rotary Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity Positive Maturity Sain & Associates The WRATT Foundation YMCA of Greater Birmingham 23 CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 23 3/31/17 2:10 PM AN INITIATIVE OF THE REGIONAL PLANNING COMISSION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM CS_annualreport17_sized copy.indd 24 3/31/17 2:11 PM