Uplifting 2024 thought leadership
ACT members are driving the industry forward.
Hear directly from them about topics at the forefront of TDM.
Each month, ACT publishes its Connections newsletter, a resource sharing the latest news and updates from both the association and the industry itself. All members are invited to write articles sharing their insights, lessons learned, ideas about upcoming trends, and more. This year, we were thrilled to feature the voices of six professionals this year. Take a look back with us as we reflect on 2024 thought leadership and the collective learning we've done as a membership.
"Today is the Day to Try Transit" in Your Community
Jaime McKay, TDM-CP
Want to re-engage your ridership, build off existing partnerships, and build rapport with new community organizations? Want to do it for less than a hundred bucks?
Transit Services of Frederick County’s “Today is the day to try Transit” campaign is a fresh and energized new way to promote the locally operated transit system in Frederick County, Maryland through our existing social media channels and community partnerships. An award-winning system for operations, Transit’s communications strategy has pivoted after relying for years on overly formal government language and style, and sanitized interactions with the public. Transit’s reach to riders and community members was limited as a result, and the ability to engage with the community suffered. Projects such as service changes or expansions were advertised in challenging to understand and formal language, and programs such as rideshare didn’t strike a chord with the riding public because of the way these programs were presented. We knew we needed to reach folks, but struggled with knowing how to do it. When we had an opportunity to shake things up, we did exactly that.
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Deputizing TDM and the Power of Partnerships
Alex Temkin, TDM-CP
Communication is one of the most critical factors in determining a TDM program’s success. Incentivization programs can be well-constructed and generous in their offerings, but their success depends on commuters being aware of their opportunities. One consistently challenging communication factor is reach–most TDM professionals don’t have a direct line of communication with their audience. One of the best ways to get the word out is to deputize the message and let key contacts spread the word.
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How do Americans Get to Places Besides their Workplace?
Holly Parker, TDM-CP
The US Census’ American Community Survey (ACS) asks a sampling of Americans every year how they get to work. We have all seen this data – and many of us TDM professionals can recite the approximate national averages of work commute trips made in a single occupant vehicle versus on transit, in a carpool, walking, or biking.
I needed data on trips made for all purposes while doing research to populate a Passenger Transportation Carbon Emission Reduction Strategy Tool my employer, SLR Consulting, created, and came across data from the National Household Transportation Survey (NHTS). The NHTS has been tracking mode of transportation, duration, distance, and trip purpose since 1969.
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Beyond the Hype: Why Pilot Projects Are About Progress, Not Perfection
Katie Marticke, TDM-CP
Pilot projects—whether testing microtransit services or launching Autonomous Transit Networks (ATN)—are crucial for shaping the future of commuting. But communicating their purpose to the public is often just as important as the projects themselves. While communities are often eager for immediate solutions, pilot programs aren’t designed to provide instant fixes. Instead, they collect data to assess whether a new approach can work on a larger scale.
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Using Transportation Demand Management to Enhance the Patient Experience
Aaron Buckley, TDM-CP
Unlike businesses, cities, or universities, hospitals have a unique patient audience to serve. Improving the health and well-being of every patient and their loved ones is at the core of any great medical institution. Whether visiting once or weekly, the system for patient outreach, education, transportation, reception, care, and departure must work flawlessly.
Patients have many options when they look for medical care, removing barriers around transportation helps eliminate one stressor from an already stressful time. Prior to arrival, direct communication to a patient via phone and email; web resources on their upcoming experience; and a comprehensive phone-based app can help set expectations and answer initial questions.
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Considering High School Students in TDM
Diane Hanson, TDM-CP
With the passing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program was codified, and funding was expanded to support high school students, among other benefits. This opened a world of opportunities for state and local SRTS Programs nationwide.
With the excitement of a new SRTS audience also comes the need for programs to create innovative materials for marketing, education, and incentives. Despite nearly three years of working with high schools, many SRTS programs are continuing to learn about their audience and refining their messaging.
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