Northwest Oregon Transit AllianceREGIONAL TRANSIT PROJECT
PROJECT PURPOSE
To reduce greenhouse gasses and fossil fuel dependence through increased transit use by
visitors and commuters.
Who is “The Alliance”?
AGENCY REPRESENTED BY:
Columbia County Rider Janet Wright, Transit Director
Sunset Empire Transit District Jay Flint, Executive Director
Tillamook County Transp. District Doug Pilant, General Manager
Lincoln County Transit Cynda Bruce, Director
Benton County Rural Transit Sharon Fipps, Director
PROJECT GOALS Improve transit connections between communities
Brand and market transit service in all five counties as a single seamless service
Improve inter-agency coordination
Promote environmentally-conscious travel
Develop transit as an asset for economic development
PROJECT TIMELINE
MAJOR TASKSBranding and MarketingRegional Route and Service CoordinationCentralized WebsiteStrategic PartnershipsSustainable FundingSuccesses and Lessons Learned
All are interconnected!
BRANDING AND MARKETING
Branding and Marketing: The Challenge
• Five diverse counties
• Visitors and commuters – two different audiences
• Existing individual agency brands and identities
Charrette workshops were held in all five counties to discuss
connections and regional themes.
Common Themes
Community connections“Green”
Water/rainFriendly
Bright, modernWayfinding
Standards for Letterhead and Business Cards
Poster Art
Rack cards for hotel/restaurant lobbies, visitor info centers, and other places where tourist literature is displayed.
CENTRALIZED WEBSITE
Home page has regional trip planning info for riders, news, meeting notices, etc.
REGIONAL ROUTE AND SERVICE COORDINATION
Route and Service Coordination Focus Areas
• Population/employment clusters and other destinations served by existing routes within each county
• Connections across county lines
• Commuter and visitor markets
• Fare policy
How well do existing routes in each county align with population centers , employment clusters and major visitor destinations?
Service Within Each County
BEFORE:
•Transfer points in remote areas.
•Often very long wait times
Connections Across County
Lines
Early Successes
• Tillamook/Lincoln County
– Was: Transfer at Otis
– Now: TCTD goes into Lincoln City and agencies share cost of the extended run
Works in-progress
• Continued improvement to inter-county connection points and transfer times.
• Connections with for-profit intercity carriers.
• Tribal partnerships for better casino employment and recreational access.
Commuter and Visitor Markets
Commuting Between Counties
Commute Shed Analysis – How many people in each county travel to another county for work?
Regional Fares for Commuters
• Market analysis tells us that the need for a regional commuter pass within the five-county area is low.
• Individual monthly pass programs should be continued instead.
Visitor Markets
1. Choice Riders2. Summer Visitors3. Biking and Car Free Travel4. Green Tourists5. Portland Area6. Neighboring States and Key Cities (Seattle-
Tacoma, San Franciso, New York City)7. Trip Chaining
Regional Fare for Visitors• Market analysis tells us that a regional visitor
pass program could be successful!
• Three-day and seven-day regional visitor passes have been implemented.
• Each pass allows one round trip to/from the I-5 corridor, and unlimited travel in the coastal counties.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
“North by Northwest Transportation Foundation”
• New non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation
• Separate from, but closely aligned with, the public transit partners
• Foundation board: Representatives from business, higher-education and tourist/travel organizations.
Foundation’s Role
• Fundraising from private, charitable resources • Work toward endowment funding
• Work with transit agencies to promote transit programs
Other Strategic Partners:Employers
Other Strategic Partners:Visitor Groups
Visitor-Based BusinessesWhat’s in it for them?• Supporting transit is a great way to increase a
business’ customer base.
• Enhances image as an environmentally and customer friendly business.
Visitor Information
Link to our site:nworegontransit.org
WHAT’S NEXT?
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