CAP Fiscal Year 1998 Annual Report -
July 1, 1997 Through June 30, 1998

During the 1990’s the CAP has grown into one of the most innovative TDM programs in the country. As CAP looks forward to 1999 and beyond, it is important to review the recent past and monitor progress so that adjustments can be made to maximize its usefulness to commuters. The following tracks performance of the Commuter Assistance Program just completed Fiscal Year 1998.

CAP Administration and Marketing

CAP marketing funding was increased for FY 1998. It was also consolidated and contracted out to Pulsar Advertising, Inc. after a competitive selection process. Pulsar Advertising is responsible for developing and implementing a marketing plan for CAP’s programs and services. Previously, CAP’s individual contractors were responsible for the marketing function. Pulsar is also responsible for developing and implementing the “Arlington Metrobus” marketing campaign.

During Fiscal Year 1998 Pulsar developed multi-year marketing plans and began implementing of these plans for The Commuter Stores, Employer Services and The Commuter Page web site. For the first year, rather than produce advertising campaigns for the stores and Employer Services, Pulsar recommended a back to the basics approach focusing on the programs and services themselves, as being more productive in the long run.

For The Commuter Stores, a retail architect developed plans for renovating/redecorating the stores to provide a more useful display of information as well as a more inviting retail space. The first store to receive the new treatment was the Ballston Store as the Ballston Common Mall had asked that the store relocate to the second floor. Construction began in the spring and was completed in early June. The new store features warm lighting, natural woods and tiles and a coordinated/stimulating signage system that reduces visual clutter while focusing the consumer on distinct commuter choices. In the words of CAP’s advertising agency, The Commuter Store goes from looking like a Kinkos to a Starbucks thereby providing more likelihood a potential customer will spend some time in the store to learn about transportation alternatives.

During FY98 CAP advertised is web site www.CommuterPage.com® by placing inside-the-bus cards in all of the 1,100 Metrobuses region-wide as well as Alexandria DASH, Fairfax Connection and Montgomery County Ride-On. In addition, 2-sheet advertising posters were placed in 9 Arlington Metrorail stations advertising The Commuter Page. 2-sheet posters advertising The Commuter Stores were also placed in Rosslyn, Ballston and Crystal City. New brochures were developed for both The Commuter Page and The Commuter Stores.

For Employer Services Pulsar developed an Employer Membership kit that will provide employers who participate a tool for utilizing Arlington Transportation Partners’ services and get them started on working with their own employees. The kit is also seen as a final sales tool that can be used as a leave behind after a meeting between Arlington Transportation Partners sales staff and the employer making a decision to participate. Pulsar also developed a quarterly newsletter to keep employer participants and prospects better informed. Production of all materials will be completed in FY99.

The Commuter Store

Expanded Store Hours. On July 1, 1997 the hours at the Crystal City and Rosslyn stores were expanded until 7:00 p.m. from the previous closing time of 6:00 p.m. Ballston had already been open until 7:00 p.m.

Ballston Store Moves Into New and Improved Space. In February of 1998 the Ballston Common Mall asked The Commuter Store to relocate from its first floor location to a permanent, free and larger space on the second floor as a result of some Mall construction and tenant restructuring. In June of 1998 The Commuter Store moved to its new and improved space. The new space was designed and constructed with a new concept of commuter retailing in mind that eventually will be duplicated to CAP’s other two stores during FY99 and FY00. The new Ballston store features warm lighting, natural woods and tiles and a coordinated/stimulating signage system that reduces visual clutter while focusing the consumer on distinct commuter choices

Record Numbers of Customers Served and Fares Sold. During Fiscal Year 1998 The Commuter Stores served a record 171,947 customers or 10 percent more than the 156,201 served during FY98. Customers served were up at all three outlets. Crystal City served 76,703 customers, Ballston 47,037 and Rosslyn 48,171. FY98 was the first year that Rosslyn served more customers than Ballston.

During FY98 the stores sold a record $2,958,733 in tickets, tokens and passes (fares), an increase of 2% compared to the $2.8 million sold in FY97. Sales increased at all three outlets. Crystal City sold $1,799,942 in fares, Ballston sold $675,479 and Rosslyn sold $483,312. Virginia Railway Express sales held steady at $975,000 in FY98 versus 972,000 in FY97 and Metrobus and Metrorail sales rose slightly from $1.378 million in FY97 to $1.387 million in FY98. By far the largest growth in sales was MARC – Maryland commuter rail – as sales rose by over 50% from $316,000 in FY97 to $482,000 in FY98 based mostly on the introduction of the TLC or combined Metro/MARC pass.

Employer Services

During FY98 the Ballston-Rosslyn Area Transportation Association (BATA) and Jefferson Davis Corridor Transportation Management Association (JDC TMA) assisted twenty-nine (29) companies in implementing new commuter programs and services, while continuing to provide services to thirty-five (35) companies who had signed up during the previous two years. Of the 29 companies three (3) were considered Level-2, 25 at Level-3 and one (1) at Level-4. During FY97 BATA and JDC TMA had assisted 20 companies into setting up commuter programs.

The levels correspond to a the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Commuter Connections’ Employer Services criteria (Leve-1 – meeting with a company; Level-2 – buy in, information distribution; Level-3 – Metrochek and other high level programs such as an ETC; Level-4 – shuttle and other capital expenses and more. While COG counts the fifteen (15) Level-1 programs, Arlington County only counts them as prospects, thus the 29 total companies in Levels 2 through 4. Of the 29 companies 9 of the companies had more than 100+ employees.

At the end of the Fiscal Year there were 155 companies that were participating in WMATA’s Metrochek program versus 139 at the end of the previous year. During FY98 fourteen (14) companies signed up via BATA and JDC TMA to participate in CAP’s Metrochek Match program. Metrochek Match reimbursed companies up to half their Metrochek expenses during their program’s first year and is open to all Arlington businesses not currently participating in Metrochek.

The Commuter Page – www.CommuterPage.com

In its first year of service to the public, CAP’s world wide web Internet site—The Commuter Page—has been nationally recognized as one of the most innovative transportation web sites in the country. The site, launched on March 7, 1997 is dedicated to helping commuters find smarter ways to work

The Commuter Page resides on the Arlington County web page. After the Library portion of the site, The Commuter Page is the most popular destination on the County page as measured by the number of requests for information received. The Commuter Page receives approximately 45,000 requests for information each month (it should be noted a “request for information” means anything that was loaded – included graphics), representing about 13% of the total traffic on Arlington County’s home page (www.arlingtonva.us). Approximately 4,600 persons actually “hit” the top page each month, however this is not a good barometer of activity as many organizations and search engines link directly to portions of the site, thereby bypassing the top page. Numbers have been growing by about 5% each month. The most popular portions of the page include Public Transportation, Metrorail, Metrobus and online schedule requests and sales.

By the end of the fiscal year, The Commuter Store staff was processing about 250 new requests each month for schedules, maps, sales of fares, rideshare applications and just answering commuting questions.

CAP received the national “1997 Outstanding Service Award” from the Association for Commuter Transportation, a “1997 AdWheel Award for Best Internet Site” from the American Public Transit Association, and was named one of the Washington Post’s “www.worth it” sites in the summer.

“Arlington Metrobus” Marketing

CAP received FY97 and FY98 TEIF grant funding to develop a Transit Ridership Development Initiative (TRDI) project aimed at increasing Metrobus ridership in selected transit corridors. This experiment, recognized that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) did not have the resources to concentrate on marketing specific services in Arlington. Therefore, this effort was seen as a supplement to WMATA’s efforts, concentrated in one area. The South Arlington neighborhoods of Columbia Pike and Shirley Highway were targeted first. In January, 1997 CAP contracted with Pulsar Advertising, Inc. to develop and implement the TRDI project. A committee consisting of County transit and planning staff, WMATA marketing, planning and bus operations staff, the Executive Director of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, CAP store and TMA staff, and transit staff from Alexandria and Fairfax ( which shared routes in the area), oversaw the progress of the TRDI project.

Research Overview. The first phase of the project during the winter and spring of 1997 was to review the extensive research database for Metrobus and Metrorail riders and non-riders in Arlington as well as the overall system. A key element was the available research data market segmentation studies conducted by WMATA. The studies provide valuable insights into which market segments are most likely to try transit and what creative directions can be used most effectively to reach these potential customers. A summary of the findings concluded that Arlington has more young adults or Gen Xers than other WMATA areas, and this group is most likely to be riders now, and most likely to try riding. Work trips, after-work activities, and cultural events are the reasons they would ride. Research also indicated that while people were aware of Metrobus, they were unaware of where, when and how the service operates. As part of the research into the TRDI plan development, 22 Community Leaders were interviewed during June, 1997 to determine what they and the communities they represented knew or wanted to know about Metrobus. An evaluation plan was also developed to monitor results of the project.

Information Systems. Early in the development of this project, concern about the basic service information provided by WMATA about Metrobus was raised. In particular, the existing timetable schedules and maps elicited the most negative response. Lack of information at the stops themselves also became a concern. With this in mind, a major portion of the project began looking at how the information was presented rather than how it gets in potential riders hands. Full-color, user-friendly mock ups of new maps and timetables were presented during the Community Leader Interviews and to a focus group of Gen Xers to test better ways of depicting service information.

The Marketing Campaign. The research done earlier, helped during the spring and summer of 1997 in developing a “brand personality” of Metrobus service as an integral part of the lifestyles of County residents. The marketing was to convey the message that riding Metrobus is a rewarding experience that will help one enjoy a more balanced and interesting life in their community. Four different campaign approaches were developed to convey the brand personality to the target audience. The approach chosen, was the only one the focus group had any positive response to at all. In fact, the focus group underscored just how hard the task at hand was. While, participants liked and sometimes used Metrorail, their reaction to Metrobus was very negative. They were extremely skeptical of advertising approaches that said Metrobus was good or that people like them rode Metrobus. In the end, the marketing campaign chosen took a light-hearted, funny approach to conveying the new information about Metrobus. Designating the #16 and #7 Lines as “Arlington Metrobus” Lines was done to provide consumers with the idea that this was “their” bus.

The Tactical Plan. As more of the project’s dollars were spent on revising the maps and timetables for the selected bus lines than was anticipated, the initial launch of the Tactical Advertising Plan came down to a few simple elements of: getting the new, better information into peoples hands; giving people a free opportunity to try the service; providing better information at the bus stops; and getting the community to buy into the program and thus sustain it. To do this, bus books, using the new advertising campaign were developed that housed the new maps and timetables. The bus books were made to be inserted into the Washington Post and the Post’s direct mail program in the targeted zip codes. The books were designed with four free-ride coupons, that when used entered persons into a drawing for a trip to the Bahamas. Bus stop ride-guide information in the new format was developed to replace Metro’s current information and plans for placing additional bus stop ride-guides were made. On board advertising, using the new campaign was developed. A plan for sustaining the effort through community leaders, organizations and major condo/apartment managers was developed. The new format would also be put on The Commuter Page web site.

Launching “Arlington Metrobus.” On Wednesday, January 14, 1998 over 80,000 households received the “Arlington Metrobus” bus book via insert and direct mail. In the following weeks the new bus stop ride-guide information was placed along the #16 and #7 Lines. Approximately 80 new ride-guides will be posted in February. On board advertising was also placed during the week of January 14. During February staff distributed another 10,000 pieces to resident mangers of major apartment/condo complexes along the 16 and 7 lines.