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NASTO 2013

NASTO 2013. Communicating with the Customer Michael Sanders Connecticut Department of Transportation. Today’s Presentation. What are we selling and to whom? At the federal level? At the state and local level? What are our customers ready and willing to buy?

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NASTO 2013

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  1. NASTO 2013 Communicating with the Customer Michael Sanders Connecticut Department of Transportation

  2. Today’s Presentation • What are we selling and to whom? • At the federal level? • At the state and local level? • What are our customers ready and willing to buy? • How do we sell it? Tools; Techniques. • Federal program • State capital program

  3. Selling at the Federal Level Do We Know What We Are We Selling? • Program Design • History • Future • Funding Levels • History • Future

  4. Selling at the Federal Level Who are the Customers for the Product We’re Selling? • Congress as a Customer? • FTA/FHWA/FRA/FAA? • The Public as a Customer/Consumer? • How Willing is Everyone to Pay? • Congress? (Hah!) • The Public?

  5. It Can Be Done!!!!! APTA – “The survey, Americans Support for Public Transportation conducted by the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), shows that nearly 74 percent of respondents agreed to use of their tax dollars to create, expand and improve public transportation in their community.” 

  6. Selling at the Federal Level What Are They Willing To Buy? How Do We Convince Them to Buy It? • How Do We Explain Our Overall Vision? • Infrastructure Needs? • Jobs and the Global Economy? • What’s the Best Way to Communicate the Vision? • “You Get What You Pay For”

  7. Connecticut’s Program What Are We Selling and To Whom? • Operating: +/- $600M not incl. Bond payments • About half in transit subsidies • Capital: min. $200M, plus 100% State • Program versus Project • Customers for our Sales Pitch?

  8. Connecticut’s Program How Do We Sell It? • Program versus Project • Making the Case • “Global” Argument for the Program • Strategic Plan w/ econometric data • Building alliances; • Countering negative (sometimes); • Getting the message out • Elevator Speeches for the Projects

  9. What’s Our Messaging? “We will be implementing BRT, HOV lanes and TDM to reduce SOV use and overall VMT, especially for HBW trips. We will do this by collaborating with our MPOs as well as various stakeholders including the CBOs, NGOs, NRZs,....”

  10. Project Examples Different Messages and Different Targets for Different Projects • M8 Rail Cars • New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail • CTfastrak, aka “the controversial busway”

  11. Ctfastrak Communication What Market Segment Should We Target? • Everything government does is a waste • It’s too expensive • It took so long to get to this point • It should have been rail • I’ll never ride a bus • We have bridges falling down You get the idea

  12. Ctfastrak Communication What’s the Sales Pitch? • Market segments might need own messages • New Starts Criteria • Cost-effectiveness relative to other projects nationally • Environmental benefits • Congestion management benefits • Supportive of smart growth and TOD • Improved corridor mobility and connectivity • New Markets • Millenials; discretionary riders; • Awareness Marketing

  13. Ctfastrak Communication What is CT Doing? • All Media • Traditional and Social; • Meeting People • Public meetings • Speakers’ Bureau • Making the Case • Elevator Speech • Website with FAQs/Rumor Control

  14. Ctfastrak Communication Are We Convincing the Public? Mixed Bag • Why Is It So Hard? • Money; Staffing; Experience; Process • Insufficient Effort Over Time • Inconsistent Effort Over Time • Lack of Consensus, Even in the DOT Got to Keep at It!!!!!!!

  15. The End Questions? Discussion?

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