Real-time passenger information is a huge trend in transportation, and the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) made it a top priority to develop a new real-time travel information system – Where’s My Ride – that would enhance the passenger experience by allowing riders to more easily access the agency’s system. In order to successfully develop and launch this new system, DCTA made sure to get its ducks in a row before the official launch, as well as developing a launch marketing campaign to ensure passengers would quickly adopt and use Where’s My Ride.
Humble Beginnings
DCTA was able to secure funding to develop Where’s My Ride from grants provided by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) totaling $940,000. Both grants were funded to the agency in 2012.
In March 2013, DCTA’s Board of Directors approved a contract with Strategic Mapping to develop Where’s My Ride — an integrated intelligent transportation system (ITS) that would provide passengers with real-time travel information by using accurate location data provided by a GPS device mounted inside each DCTA Connect bus and A-train railcar. Users would be able to receive notifications of a Connect Bus or A-train arrival time and call in to hear arrival times and track vehicles in real time with Where’s My Ride, which integrates location, route and bus/train information with schedules and maps to provide passengers with the most accurate arrival predictions possible.
Beta Testing
Before the official launch, DCTA beta tested Where’s My Ride internally and externally with the public in October and November 2014 for the Connect bus system. The agency internally beta tested the A-train before the official launch of the system. In order to ensure accuracy and consistency in the data provided to passengers, DCTA enlisted help from the various communities it serves for beta testing.
Beta testing was successfully completed and DCTA was able to make changes to ensure the new Where’s My Ride system would provide accurate data in advance of the official launch. In addition, DCTA awarded beta testers with various prizes based upon their participation levels, which included:
• Participants who completed 20 tests received a regional ten-day pass pack
• Participants who completed 50 tests received a regional monthly pass
• Participants who completed more than 50 tests received a regional monthly pass and were placed in a random drawing for a regional Annual Pass
Marketing Campaign Launch
DCTA launched Where’s My Ride on January 19, 2015, marking the first time the agency provided passengers with real-time predictive arrival information. The new vehicle tracking technology introduced predictive arrival information for the next Connect Bus or A-train at a passenger’s particular stop location via SMS text alert, interactive voice response or through the online portal. In addition, Where’s My Ride provides DCTA with internal data that enables the agency to better schedule routes and times for services that will greatly benefit passengers.
The main target audience for the marketing campaign included commuters, students, transit-dependent riders, occasional riders and potential riders. The fully-integrated marketing campaign tactics included:
• Marketing Collateral
• Online and Print Advertising
• Website Graphics and Content
• Online Instructional Videos
• Public Relations
• Social Media Marketing
Where’s My Ride Key Features
Where’s My Ride is a vehicle tracking tool available via phone, mobile and Internet that integrates location, route and bus/train information with schedules and maps to provide passengers with the most accurate arrival predictions possible for Connect Bus and A-train services. The main features passengers can utilize include:
• The voice stop prediction feature allows passengers to dial in for an up-to-the-minute prediction of a bus or train. Call 940.243.0077, enter your Stop ID and receive real-time information on the next Connect bus or A-train scheduled for that location and its expected arrival time
• The text stop prediction feature allows passengers to text their Stop ID to 98458 to receive the estimated arrival time of their Connect bus or A-train
• The online portal feature allows passengers to watch their bus or train progress along its route, search by address, or input their Stop ID to find the nearest Connect bus or A-train and its arrival time
Developing the Right Messaging
One of the main challenges DCTA encountered was developing messaging for Where’s My Ride that passengers, stakeholders and the media could easily digest. Since Where’s My Ride is an integrated intelligent transportation system and not a mobile application, DCTA had to ensure to educate passengers and media about this key difference.
In addition, there are many complex features to Where’s My Ride — text message, phone and online — and DCTA worked hard to make sure passengers would understand the benefits of each feature.
DCTA’s primary goal of launching Where’s My Ride in January 2015 was to improve the passenger experience by providing real-time predictive arrival information, and ensuring people would use the new vehicle tracking tool and its many features.
(By the Numbers) Where’s My Ride Stats
The Online Portal
482,126 total online hits to date (January 19, 2015 to January 31, 2016)
Monthly usage average is more than 40,000 online hits
Text Message Feature
70,999 total SMS text messages received to date (January 19, 2015 to January 31, 2016)
Monthly usage average is more than 5,900 text messages received
Automated Phone Feature
22,927 calls received to date (January 19, 2015 to January 31, 2016)
Monthly usage average is more than 1,900 calls received
Campaign Awareness
DCTA generated great awareness for its new Where’s My Ride vehicle tracking tool with the following results:
2015 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Results: DCTA recently surveyed passengers for its biennial survey in which 1,860 people took leading to a 99 percent accuracy rating. From this survey, 60 percent of the respondents surveyed said they were familiar with Where’s My Ride.
Public Relations: The agency secured nine local/industry media stories during the launch with a publicity value of $42,611.
Website: The Where’s My Ride webpage averages as the 10th most viewed page on the agency’s website since launch date to January 31, 2016.
Online Instructional Videos: 1,655 YouTube views for all three campaign videos combined highlighting Where’s My Ride key features.
DCTA was able to successfully develop, launch and message its new Where’s My Ride vehicle tracking tool that enabled passengers to come familiar with it and adopt many of its key features to help them track their ride and better access DCTA’s system. The agency will continue to promote Where’s My Ride using key marketing and public relations efforts, while also focusing on innovative technology options to enhance the passenger experience.
Adrienne Hamilton is a communications specialist at DCTA.
