We have long been proponents of catering to different ridership demographics (both potential and existing) based on the manner in which they most prefer to receive transit information. The web is clearly a very accessible and useful resource, but who uses it the most? Women like to have real-time weather updates available before they leave the house, but how do they choose to look up that information? The point is that it can be quite difficult to know not only who prefers certain information, but also how and when they wish to locate it.
But a recent report released by the U.K. Department of Transport has made life a little easier for agencies to gain young riders and keep them happily up-to-date. “Understanding the Travel Aspirations, Needs and Behaviour of Young Adults and People in Later Life,” the result of 68 in-depth interviews with people between the ages of 16-25, reveals that actively reaching out to young adults at so-called ‘trigger points,’ or significant lifestyle transitions, can be an effective method for recruiting new, permanent riders. The report pinpoints the shift from college to the working world as just such a moment when ensuring that young adults are aware of their transportation alternatives can breed lifelong riding trends.
With this bit of demographic insider information, agencies would be wise to visit campuses regularly to distribute materials, or even offer first-year graduates a reduced price monthly pass to encourage them to try out public transit on a regular basis. Emphasizing, say, your mobile alerts program or Google Transit trip planner could also play well with the young, tech-savvy crowd.
Once an agency knows how, when and where to best inform respective demographics, rider satisfaction and service efficiency are soon to follow. As U.K. Transport Minister Rosie Winterton acknowledges, “taking the needs of a wide variety of social groups into account when deciding transport policy…is the only way we can effectively move towards a sustainable transport system that works for everyone.” True, indeed.
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