San Joaquin Regional Transit District Veterans Good News Day Campaign

Target Audience: The men and women living in San Joaquin County who wore a military uniform and made sacrifices to protect our freedoms.

Strategy Objective:After partnering with multiple agencies to ensure special benefits that honor our veterans, it was essential for RTD to communicate this discount in a meaningful way. This required forming strategic partnerships with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the San Joaquin County Veterans Services office to create a special pre-Veterans Day event entitled "Good News Day." The purpose of the event was not only to highlight the discount, but also to celebrate and honor the men and women who served our country. The event was held in RTD's Boardroom with numerous veterans and dignitaries in attendance. The discount was announced through the video "Reconnect with Heroes," featuring area veterans. "Good News Day" was promoted through social media and press outlets.

Situation Challenge: Approximately 33,000 veterans currently live in San Joaquin County. Many of these veterans need transportation assistance on a daily basis and RTD sought to thank our veterans in a tangible way while making their daily lives easier. RTD spearheaded a multi-agency veterans discount program, in which veterans receive a 50% fare discount throughout the County by presenting an easily-obtained Discount Fare Card (DFC). RTD brought together the area's major transit agencies to develop the program and define the discount parameters. RTD then reached out to local veteran organizations to create an event to announce the discount while honoring these valuable members of our community.

Results Impact: The event's social media reach was close to 2,000, four times higher than RTD's average reach. The event was featured in both broadcast and local print media. "Reconnect with Heroes" has almost 8,000 YouTube views. The partnerships motivated word-of-mouth publicity about the new discount and event.

Why Submit: RTD successfully established and executed a program that not only honors but assists veterans on a daily basis. The strong partnerships RTD created in developing this discount show the distinct respect San Joaquin County has for all who served.