Metro Magazine

SEP-OCT 2014

Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904

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26 < m ETRO m AGAZINE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 metro-magazine.com With usage amongst millennials and Baby Boomers gaining popularity, many agencies are reporting measures to pull more of these segments onboard, including targeted marketing programs and increased technologies. Meanwhile, the amount of alternative-fueled vehicles has nearly doubled over the last 10 years. BY ALEX ROMAN, Managing Editor To mark METRO's 110th year, we added 10 more transit agencies to our Top 100 Bus Fleets survey, which is topped by the Metropolitan Transportation Author- ity's (MTA) New York City Transit/MTA Bus Co. with 6,782 total vehicles. Tis is the frst year the MTA has com- bined the two fleets into one number, with the total fleet count coming in at 10% of the 68,835 vehicles reported by 110 transit agencies, covering three countries and 33 states. Te amount of total vehicles climbed 16% compared to 2004's 59,337 total reported and 5% compared to 2013. M e a n w h i l e , N e w J e r s e y T r a n s i t (2,508), the Los Angeles County Met- ropolitan Transportation Authority (2,360), Chicago's Pace Suburban Bus 2014 Transit Bus Fleet Survey: Top Fleets Taking Steps to Attract Growing Market Segments (1,960) and the Southeastern Pennsyl- vania Transportation Authority (1,860) round out the top fve, with Woodbridge, Va .'s P o t o m a c a n d R a p p a h a n n o c k Transportation Commission closing out the Top 110 with 154 vehicles. TRENDS AND INITIATIVES As studies continue to fnd so-called millennials — those born between 1982 and 2004 — driving less and being more open to alternative forms of transporta- tion, many agencies are making eforts to become more attractive to that mar- ket, as well as on the opposite end of the spectrum, to Baby Boomers. Of these initiatives, adding real-time bus information, offering free Wi-Fi, creating apps and improving fare pay- ment, such as adding smart cards and smartphone payment technology, are the most popular for attracting millen- nials, as well as marketing and brand- ing eforts. In Montreal, for example, the Societe de Transport de Montreal (No. 10) re- ports it has repositioned the agency as a "younger and more dynamic organiza- tion with a brand identity that is much more engaging." Meanwhile, other agencies, includ- ing West Covina, Calif.'s Foothill Tran- sit (No. 63) and Syracuse, N.Y.'s Central New York Regional Transportation Au- thority (No. 77) report expanding their social media outreach to "reach millen- nials where they are," with other popular initiatives including outreach to schools Capital Metro - No. 46 Photo courtesy Capital Metro

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