160 likes | 275 Views
is to organize people with disabilities, seniors, low-income citizens, and other concerned Texans for equitable transportation through local and statewide alliances. Our mission:. State/Federal Alliance:. Reauthorization $5 million in JARC programs State and Local Media Campaigns
E N D
is to organize people with disabilities, seniors, low-income citizens, and other concerned Texans for equitable transportation through local and statewide alliances. Our mission:
State/Federal Alliance: • Reauthorization • $5 million in JARC programs • State and Local Media Campaigns • Mandated Public Transportation Coordination (funding and services) • Changed State DOT Rules: • More local funding flexibility • More support for alternatives • Specific policy improvements • Gas Taxes paying for Public Transit (including Health/Humans Services)
Local Alliance and Campaign Activities Lubbock Local Alliances: Transit Campaigns Transit Planning Transit Coordination MPO Certification Housing and Urban Development Travel Training New Job Access $ Pedestrian Audits Ambassador Program
Elections • Imply a relationship of support for “x” issue or candidate. • Too often a campaign is a blunt approach to a basic marketing objective. • Campaigns should be about winning the hearts and minds of voters. • How can we do a better job of building relationships of support?
A different way . . . • Three examples – Austin, Lubbock, Tarrant Co. – of building a solid foundation on which campaigns are a confirmation. • Activities that create an atmosphere for relationship building. • Highlight the key lessons learned.
Prompt Awareness & Creativity Get a Street-Level View Small Group Problem Solving Find Consensus Capital Metro - Community Connections • Making amenities a community asset. • Teaching agency staff a different way to related to customers and community. • Building a “can do” image. Staff Elected officials Users Community leaders
Capital Metro – Investment as an Incentive • Building strategic relationships early • Building a winning team for commuter rail and economic development. • Champions, Junkets, and a Challenge • Regionalism
Lubbock • CitiBus proposes cutting Saturday service and routes. • Citizens get council to to reject the proposed changes – now what? • Understanding the challenges. • Getting an ESPA/CTAA planning grant. • Opportunity for stakeholders to learn. • Process for articulating each interest. • Time to build trust and empathy.
Richland Hills • Richland Hills files for an election to decide if it will continue to have a $.05 sales tax for transit. • The-T provided a TRE station and per capita the highest level of transit services in the area. • Why? • Walmart moved to North Richland Hills!
Keys to HELPING your transit agency discover that TRANSIT can be a COMMUNITY ASSET Relationships are not built over night Research Process is important Values clear and direct actions Message and messenger is important Closing the deal
Research • Focus Groups • Survey • Intuition • Talk to key people/communities/customers • Listening sessions • Don’t forget to follow-up and measure!
Process • Review operations, activities, investment that it already makes for innovations. • Look for ways to improve customer/community involvement and their investment in the outcome. • Look for give participants a sense of accomplishment and meaningfulness. • Education, relationship building, image refinement can be second tier objectives.
Lead with values • Good stewart of the public trust • Customer service is our mission • A reliable partner • Humility • Empathy • “Virtue is always bold” Shakespear
Message • Use research to develop strategy, message, targets; then stick to the plan. • The best message has substance supporting it. • It takes time to help people understand, appreciate, feel good about, or want something. • Connecting through existing trust relationships is a short cut to customers, neighborhoods, communities, and to voters.
Closing • You can do all this awareness, education, relationship building and feel good stuff AND get nothing. • The close, has to be part of the plan. • In an election - ask for the vote. • In relationship building – ask for mutual respect. • Converting respect to a yes, is much easier than converting unawareness into yes.
Conclusion • May sound like a lot of work, BUT: • NGO’s are uniquely qualified • Agencies will pay a fair wage for these professional services • The alternative – losing an election – is harder and more distasteful.