Changing Perceptions to Recruit Qualified Coach Operators

Target Audience: People in southern California looking for rewarding and responsible full- and part-time employment as OCTA coach operators.

Strategy Objective:The goals of the internal team were to evaluate the coach operator training curriculum, benchmark against other agencies, and increase the number of certified operators by 10% by end of FY 18/19. To improve the application process and make the position more attractive, OCTA shortened the online application from 21 to 4 pages, introduced part-time positions, reduced hiring bottlenecks, encouraged employee referrals, accelerated training for existing drivers, and streamlined medical certification. Marketing tactics uses to change perceptions and educate the public included a campaign webpage, video campaign, online advertising, printed collateral, and bus advertisements, all featuring real OCTA bus drivers.

Situation Challenge: Like other transit agencies, OCTA found it difficult to attract qualified coach operators. Challenges included an unemployment rate of 2.8%, a robust economy, and a diverse geographic region with hiring competition from other agencies, TNCs, hotel shuttle operators, and major employers like Disneyland. Mandatory overtime for all drivers was a short-term but unsustainable solution. In response, OCTA formed a cross-departmental team to evaluate and address the issue. Initial findings revealed that potential job applicants were either unaware of coach operator positions or viewed them as low-paying jobs with limited career potential. OCTA wanted a way to increase awareness, counteract incorrect perceptions, and educate the public about positive and flexible coach operator jobs at OCTA.

Results Impact: Launched in August 2018, the campaign has been hugely successful. The number of applicants rose 22% from September to October 2018, with a year-over-year increase from October 2017 to October 2018 of 47%. In the first quarter, 22 coach operators were certified compared to a total of 36 for the entire previous year. The campaign will continue with the implementation of the improved application, training, and advertising avenues.

Why Submit: Coach operators are the public face of transit organizations. A robust recruiting process helps ensure a steady supply of professionals who can successfully represent the organization while performing the essential duty of safely transporting riders. This entry demonstrates that an informed creative integrated marketing campaign can change perceptions and transform recruitment from lackluster to outstanding but does not need to be costly or time-consuming. OCTA's campaign to educate the public and attract and keep qualified coach operators serves a model for other transit agencies.