CATS Way2Go CLT

Target Audience: The target audience was commuters who work or live in Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Union and York (SC) counties.

Strategy Objective:CATS worked with Sustain Charlotte and Charlotte Air Awareness to carry out an alternative commuting challenge, the Clean Commute Challenge, leveraging the Way2Go CLT platform as a key component in engagement and participation for the challenge. The challenge sought to encourage alternative commuting and reduce single-occupancy vehicle miles traveled. Participants were asked to log their alternative commutes for eligibility for weekly and grand prizes, provided by Charlotte Air Awareness. CATS created commuting tip videos that provided advice on different alternative commuting options with mascot Captain Clean Air, which were shared on multiple social media platforms. Sustain Charlotte and Charlotte Air Awareness conducted digital and social media marketing to share the campaign.

Situation Challenge: Charlotte Area Transit System was looking for a way to incentivize alternative commuting to the public in a way that is convenient and easy. Sustain Charlotte had received funding to launch the Way2Go CLT platform through the North Carolina Department of Transportation, but after a year they would no longer receive that same funding to continue funding the platform. CATS decided to take over the funding and management of the Way2Go CLT platform. Both CATS and Sustain Charlotte saw this opportunity as a chance for the platform to continue and for CATS to find a new way to encourage alternative commuting.

Results Impact: The challenge yielded 321 participants and 52 organizations that logged 7,335 alternative commuting trips of 83,869 total miles that saved 21.2 tons of CO2. The community gained a greater knowledge of the commuting options available to them that don't involve driving alone to school, work or recreation. According to Air Awareness officials, local air quality has improved dramatically over the last decade, but the Charlotte region only narrowly meets the health-based standard for ground-level ozone. Mobile sources, like passenger cars and trucks, remain the largest source of ozone-forming air pollution in the region. This partnership sought to decrease the amount of vehicle exhaust produced locally through the collaborative effort.

Why Submit: This campaign leveraged technology and incentives to effectively carry out the similar goals of multiple organizations that have paved the way for future collaborations and partnerships. CATS, Sustain Charlotte and Charlotte Air Awareness have similar objectives to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicle miles traveled to decrease ozone pollution from vehicle exhaust and the Clean Commute Challenge campaign helped carry out that goal, while capitalizing on each group's resources and strengths. This campaign and partnership demonstrates regional collaboration toward improving the area's air quality in a fun, innovative and interaction way.