HART Route 275LX Campaign to Increase Ridership

Target Audience: Community members in the service area between the ages of 18-70 who fit the following profiles: -current riders 'prospective riders - community partners - business travelers - general public. The ideal target audience would benefit from HART's ability to connect people to services. HART's Route 275 Limited Express, which started in July 2018, takes customers from Wesley Chapel in Pasco County, to Tampa International Airport, with stops in New Tampa, the university area, and downtown Tampa. Connect workers to jobs and help advance regional economic development and provide greater ease of mobility throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Strategy Objective:Our strategy was to create a campaign that was eye-catching, conveyed a clear message (incorporating the plane aspect into the visual and general "jet around town" copy to cover non-airport trips) and identified the Route 275LX as a stress-free way to commute from Wesley Chapel to Tampa International.

Situation Challenge: One of the main challenges HART faced for this campaign was that the Authority had only a month to strategically develop this campaign with associated tactical elements before the service launch. The key was to saturate the area along Route 275LX with information about this upcoming new service. HART had to identify engaging opportunities to promote the convenience and affordability of riding Route 275LX between Wesley Chapel, downtown Tampa, and Tampa International Airport. This campaign would position HART and specifically Route 275LX as a viable commuter option for business travelers, students, and families traveling out of town, in addition to getting residents to work or school throughout the week.

Results Impact: With 5,973 rides in the first month of service, the Route 275LX surpassed the ridership of the Route 51LX from Oct. 2017 - June 2018. The Route 275LX replaced the Route 51LX beginning in July 2018. Since then, ridership has grown 40% to 8545 trips in Sept. A multi-channel approach of billboards, digital, and media led to great public awareness of Route 275LX. This campaign has been cited many times by the Florida State Senator Dana Young, District 18, FDOT District Seven Secretary David Gwynn, and Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano as successfully illustrating the transformative power of transit for the region and the state. Marketing success: *66 collateral pieces created *16 communication pieces (including video) *Coverage of Route 275LX in 14 local/national outlets

Why Submit: The Route 275LX initiative was a great success, attracting thousands of new and existing passengers, resulting in this corridor reaching its highest monthly ridership. The campaign showcased initiative graphic design and demonstrated the convenience of riding the bus to popular destinations between Wesley Chapel and Tampa International at a fantastic fare. HART's Route 275LX launch proved to be an excellent opportunity for current riders and prospective riders to experience HART's first seven-day-a-week inter-county service.