Transcript CCJPA’s 2012 Social Media Image Crisis

APTA 2013 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS WORKSHOP
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
CCJPA’s 2012 Social Media Image Crisis
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
Luna Salaver Public Information Officer
Capitol Corridor History
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Service began December
1991
Funded by the State BT&H, via
Caltrans Rail
Amtrak is the operator
Overseen by the Capitol
Corridor Joint Powers
Authority
BART is managing agency
 Interagency Transfer from
Caltrans to CCJPA in 1998
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Management team of 16 FTE
About Capitol Corridor
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Intercity rail line with up to
30 trains a day
Serves Sacramento, San
Francisco/Oakland and
San Jose
Average rider trip length
is 68 miles
1.75 million riders in
FFY12 (a new record!)
Customer Tracking System
Customer Tracking System
More Riders = More Bikes
Customer Tracking System
Planning a Solution
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January/February 2011 conducted survey of
bicycle usage on the Capitol Corridor
Established a Bicycle “Policy” Working Group
 CCJPA;
 Amtrak;
 Caltrans
Division of Rail; and
 three Capitol Corridor riders (two who use bicycles and one
who uses wheelchair).
Original “Bicycle Access Policy”
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Notifying Passengers of the new “Policy”
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Bikes must be placed/secured in bike rack area.
If bike spaces are full, rider must safely put their bike in an area where it
can be secured and not impedewheelchairs or block aisleways.
“Securing” attached with a restraining device.
Conductor has final say.
Bikes may not be stored in restrooms.
If not secured, bike must be relocated or the rider shall take another
train which has sufficient storage space.
February to May 2012 – Red tag improperly stored bikes
June 2012 – Enforce the policy
Rider Response
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Commented on CCJPA
Emailed members of the CCJPA
board
Posted rumors on social mediasites
Growing Image Problem
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Four known negative incidents
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Lack of front-line buy in
Anonymous letter to
newspaper
 Comments to riders
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Declaring an “Image” Crisis
 Ruining
the Capitol
Corridor image.
 Media,
 Riders,
 Bicycle
community, and
 Environmentalists
 Threatened
ridership
loyalty and/or future
riders
Passenger Platforms
Community Response
Cross Link Platforms
First Retrofit
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Caltrans
modified 14
train cars
Passengers
appreciate
knowing we
listen!
Tangible Changes
Timeline
Year
Action Summary
2008 Economic boom/bust; high ridership and gas prices drive bicycle use growth
2009 Bicycle growth stays high/grows with on-train storage issues (in aisles, in
bathrooms ETC
2010 CCJPA staff creates a Bicycle Plan Ad Hoc Committee: Bike and ADA advocates
2011 March survey of bicyclists on the train; 2012 STIP funding programmed for atstation facilities; Enforcement announced without feedback ETC
2012 February: CCJPA Board Bicycle Policy adopted; Correction cards developed for
handout in April; $25K in Funding for at-station solutions; Nov/Dec Mode of
Access Survey and draft Bicycle Access Plan
2013 February: Implementation of CCJPA Bicycle Access Program
Solution
Bicycle
Sharing
Secure
Bicycle
Storage
Folding
Bicycle
Rental
Summary
Project Benefits
Supporting local communities
considering bicycle sharing,
when ready, install bicycle share
pods at stations, and promote
mega-regional cohesive bicycle
sharing.
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Installing a cohesive and
coordinated system of secure
bicycle storage facilities (bicycle
lockers or secure bicycle cages)
that are based on electronic
card access policies established
by CCJPA.
Installing a membership–based
folding bicycle rental system
(akin to city car-share programs)
at select Capitol Corridor
stations initially, station
expansion based on utilization.
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Reduced on-train bicycles
Increases last mile access in
origin/destination
community
Trip compatibility with
secure bicycle program
Supports mode shift to
bicycling
Reduced on-train bicycles
Trip compatibility with
bicycle sharing
Supports mode shift to
bicycling
Improved at station bicycle
security
Reduced on-train full sized
bicycles
Promotes complete
train/bicycle mobility for
trips
Supports mode shift to
bicycling
Greater space utilization
Target
Demographic1
All in or going to
participating
communities
Existing and
future bicyclists
using the train
Existing and
future train
riders, and
existing
bicycle/train
riders
1. Analysis of the future 2012 MOA results (see Error! Reference source not found. Error! Reference source not found.) will be used to fine tune the target
demographics
What we learned
 Get
in front of the issue
 Stay on message
 Use every available
resource
 Identify weaknesses in your
initiative
 Actively address those issues
 e.g. Training
 Cross link platforms
 Focus on solutions
Facebook.com/capitolcorridor
Twitter.com/capitolcorridor
YouTube.com/capitolcorridor