DART Mobile Ticketing and Trip Planning App

Target Audience: The target audience was riders who own a smart phone and purchase a monthly or weekly pass. From our bi-annual customer satisfaction survey, we know approximately 73% of DART riders own a smartphone. We also know more than half of riders pay using either a monthly of weekly pass.

Strategy Objective:Our strategy was to show the MyDART app was the only tool needed to ride DART. The messaging focused on the ease and convenience of the app. We highlighted not having to carry cash, saving money by riding unlimited times in a day with the new day pass and the convenience of having your bus pass on a device that's with you 24/7. To ensure our strategy was successful, we collected input from riders, staff and stakeholders. We held focus groups, administered surveys and conducted a pilot project before launching the new tool. These individuals were instrumental in making sure we offered the best product. They helped name the app, design the app icon, determine messaging, choose the look and feel of the advertising and work out any issues within the app before launching in app stores.

Situation Challenge: DART upgraded its fare payment systems with completion on Nov. 1, 2018. The agency's goals of this project were to: 1. Reduce or eliminate slower, costlier media ' cash, tokens, paper transfers; 2. Enable new fare products ' rolling period passes and a day pass; and 3. Increase ease of use for riders and operators. To support the implementation of mobile ticketing and new fareboxes, marketing was tasked with helping successfully launch a mobile ticketing app and transition as many riders as possible to using the app instead of purchasing printed passes.

Results Impact: The MyDART app has given riders an all-in-one tool. In the first year of the app, there were 9,921 downloads, 32,827 passes purchased and more than 1 million bus time requests. Mobile ticketing has generated $182,000 in revenue and most recently accounted for 4.5% of all DART boardings. DART met its goals for the new fare payments systems project. We successfully eliminated paper transfers on Nov. 1, 2018 and reduced the percentage of riders paying with cash and tokens. We began offering a day pass, of which we've sold more than 4,200. Lastly, we improved the boarding process by relieving our bus operators of disputes over paper transfers and needing to manually enter each rider into the farebox.

Why Submit: The successful adoption of the app among riders is why this entry should win an AdWheel. Since the app launched in October 2017, we continue to see a steady number of new downloads, accounts created, passes purchased and trips planned. The MyDART mobile ticketing launch and marketing campaign is an example of how transit agencies can leverage riders, staff and stakeholders to create a better outcome. We communicated regularly with a group of about 35 people to provide input on marketing materials and test the app prior to launch day. This group influenced how the app itself functioned and the overall direction of marketing.