accs final use this seattle accs making it easy seattle presentation final 09 09 07
DESCRIPTION
Presentation entitled Making It Easy - Operating a Comprehensive TDM Program for Success at ACT International Conference in Seattle, Washington on September 9, 2007TRANSCRIPT
Making it Easy. Operating a Comprehensive TDM Program to Achieve
SuccessSession 9, September 10, 2007
TDM 101: You, Too, Can Implement TDM2007 ACT International Conference
Seattle, Washington
Arlington County Commuter Services Team
Today’s Presentation
What we’ll cover:• 10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program and make it easy for people who live, work and play in your area to choose transportation options• 10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
Background/Context – Arlington, VA
• Urban jurisdiction of 200,000 residents and 200,000 employees next to Washington, D.C.
• Options rich urban environment• The triangle of Arlington’s success
– Good policy and planning– Providing transportation infrastructure– Doing TDM/Marketing
Background/Context – Arlington County Commuter Services (ACCS)
• See our fact sheet, visit our booth, check out our web sites, seek out our staff
• Established in 1990• $6 million annual budget• 40 person staff in: Sales; Marketing; Retail; Web;
Support; Planning and Research• Proven record of success
– Transit/HOV modes up– SOV rate down– Congestion stable– Result - Arlington growing and prospering
10 Ways to Design and Build Your TDM Program
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
1. Open a Retail Store• Make it easy. Provide person-to-person service• Put the store in a busy place• Include ALL options and all regional information • The Stats• Example: The Commuter Store®• Bonus Tip: It’s not just about the commute anymore
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
2. Put the Store on Wheels• Make it easy. Take it anywhere• Great for events, promotion• Example: The Mobile Commuter Store®• Bonus Tip: Use an RV chassis and provide a regular
schedule
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
3. Place Information at Every Bus Stop
• Make it easy. Commit to provide basic map and schedule information at the point of purchase (POP). The bus stop. Every bus stop
• Example: ART and Pike Ride • Bonus Tip: If transit operations
won’t figure it out, do the job yourself
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
4. Set Up Information in Building Lobbies and Retail
• Make it easy. Commitment to provide the hardware and supply the brochures & schedules
• Example: Transportation Information Display Unit• Bonus Tip: Keep it simple and don’t do hi-tech kiosks
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
5. Arrange for Everything to Go on the Web
• Make it easy. All your information and services go here• Not just a brochure online • Provide niche sites • Incorporate "lifestyle" information • Start a blog! • Incorporate Web 2.0 technologies• Example: CommuterPage.com family of web sites• Bonus Tip: Give everybody the opportunity to contribute – make it easy for staff too
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
6. Do Employer Services. Do it Right
• Make it easy for companies to implement commuter benefit programs:– Hire sales professionals– This is a labor intensive effort – hire enough people to not just
get the sale but to keep programs intact and growing– Stay engaged with the customer by providing information
infrastructure, web-based support tools, custom marketing materials and around-the-clock expertise
• The Stats• Fund it. It is worth the expense!
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
7. Get More Out of Your Employer Services Program
• Make it easy on yourself. Use the employer services infrastructure you build to do Residential Building
Manager, Hotel and Developer programs too• Most localities track apartment and condo buildings and hotels• Building managers are looking for low-cost amenities to provide to their residents
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
8. Commit to Marketing and Get the Word Out
• “If you build it they will come” does not work in TDM• One size doesn't fit all. Segment. WALKArlington, Bike
Arlington, Arlington Carshare• Budget for marketing! • Use grassroots word of mouth and Web 2.0 and PR to spread the word • Bonus Tip: Hire a non-TDM person
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
9. Invest in Fullfillment, Distribution and Logistics
• Make it easy on your entire team – It’s the support stupid• This is likely the most neglected aspect of TDM. Create a system to support your retail, web, sales and marketing teams • Centralize your information distribution systems. Build a warehouse, mailroom and call/fulfillment center
10 Ways to Design and Build a TDM Program
10. Build a Research Program
• Make it easy to understand your customers and measure program performance
• Goals:– How well are you meeting expectations?– What contribution is your program making?– Where do you need to go in the future?
• Indicators of success:– Awareness, participation and satisfaction– Travel change and air quality impacts
10 Principlesto Guide Your Program
to Success
10 Steps to Guide Your Program to Success10 Guiding Principles for Program
Success1. Research, Research, Research• Make it easy on yourself and hire professionals in market
research and TDM impacts• Dedicate enough time and money (5% of budget)• Involve your entire management team
in working with the research pros
• The research should be part of everything you do
• Make a multi-year plan for research
• Share your research. Put everything from data tables to PowerPoints and reports on the web
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
2. Get More Money and Use CMAQ• Make it easy. Don’t sell your program short. Whatever
you need, ask for more, find it, argue for it, get it for your program
• Use CMAQ. TDM programs are meant for CMAQ and have higher cost benefit and air quality benefit ratios than most traffic and transit infrastructure improvements – get your share!
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
3. Plan and Budget for Success• Make it easy to say "It's in the Plan" and "it's
in the budget"• Involve your entire team in setting priorities
for each year and beyond
• Involve your entire team in planning the budget
• Take time to recap your successes
• Be transparent – put reports on the web
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
4. Get TDM in Your Master Transportation Plan
• Make it easy for your program to be at the table • Whether you are an area, local or regional program
make sure these plans have TDM elements and call out your program
• Example: Draft Arlington County Master Transportation Plan says TDM is a core principal & has a TDM section
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
5. Get TDM in the Site Plan Development Process
• Make it easy to mitigate the impacts of growth by making sure every new building is promoting transportation options at the site
• Make sure contributions are flowing to your program• Bonus Tip: Make it easy for developers and building
managers to comply
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
6. Hire Private Contractors• Make it easy on yourself and contract out
the help. • Using private contractors allows for:
– Quick start-ups – Flexibility– Ability to hire experts in each field: retail, sales, marketing, logistics, planning and development– Ability to hire the best
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
7. Empower, Coordinate and Coach
• Now that you’ve hired expertise in different fields, make it easy on yourself and let these people do what they do best
• Let go of the rules and empower your staff – and that especially means front line people in the stores, on the street and answering your email/phones• Make it easy for staff to do the right thing
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
8. Invest in Team-Building• Make it easy for your team to succeed by investing the
time and money in team building• Nothing is more important than your people• Nothing is more important than everyone on your team pulling in the same direction• Start with developing your Vision, Mission and Motto • Bonus Tip: Do Emergentics - a simpler, color-coded, more fun Myers Briggs
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
9. Learn, Share, Contribute.• Make it easy to keep your team on the cutting edge
of what works and doesn’t • Take CUTR classes• Take Xerox Sales Training • Read the latest marketing books (Recommended Reading list at
www.commuter.typepad.com/tdm) • Share with your team• Contribute to the conversation in your area – blog! • Contribute to the industry – blog!
10 Guiding Principles for Program Success
10. Nike’s Right. So Just Do It.• What we’ve learned. What we practice.
Make it easy. Don’t ask anyone. Just plunge in.
• If you need to, ask for forgiveness later.• Example: Arlington Carshare• Bonus Tip: read Ballsy
For Information on this presentation contact Chris Hamilton at 703.228.3725,
www.commuterpage.com
Arlington County Commuter Services Team
Thank you!We invite you to partner with ACCS