A new campaign was launched by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to help rebuild public transportation ridership.
Rediscover Your Ride aims to inspire riders to return safely and confidently to the public transportation services used prior to the pandemic.
“As Virginians begin returning to the office, whether full-time or in a hybrid model, the commonwealth urges individuals to Rediscover Your Ride by choosing public transportation,” said Jennifer DeBruhl, acting director, DRPT. “Public transportation agencies across Virginia are ready when you are with enhanced safety protocols, sanitation and reliable transportation services.”
The Transit Recovery Initiative is a statewide plan to reach individuals who stopped using public transportation or are hesitant to use the service because of COVID-19 and its variants. The initiative’s goals are to strengthen public confidence in transit service and to increase ridership on public transportation.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $247,500 in COVID-19 Research Demonstration funds to DRPT in early 2021 to rebuild public confidence in transit. This project consisted of two distinct efforts: a statewide campaign coined Rediscover Your Ride and an agency-focused comprehensive strategies handbook aimed at supporting transit partners looking to recover ridership and regain operations in a safe and effective manner.
The handbook covers a vast array of topics including cleaning and sanitation processes, modifying operations, navigating staffing shortages, developing community partnerships and working towards long term resiliency. The handbook was developed through a comprehensive research process that consisted of reviewing local, state and national guidance from industry leaders combined with interviews with Virginia transit agencies.
The process of developing the resources included researching the strengths and status of transit agencies, examining the newfound relationship between riders’ evolving perception of safety and their continued mobility needs, and reevaluating transit’s commitment to communities throughout Virginia.
This project supports the implementation of consistent and unified messaging to customers and includes materials applicable to all areas of the state. The toolkit provides the commonwealth’s transit partners with a package of products that can be used to address two primary questions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic: how agencies can safely and efficiently increase service levels to pre-pandemic levels and how agencies can rebuild consumer confidence in the areas they serve.
