Randy SalzmanTDM Research and Consulting

salz@rocketmail.com

CommunitySocial MarketingTransportation Behavior

Program

Why Must Address Driving Behavior• Americans drive 2.9

trillion miles/year in 411 billion car trips, 87 percent alone

• Produce 45 percent of entire world’s automotive CO2

• Transportation produces more greenhouse than any other economic sector

• And uses 70 percent of our daily19 million barrels of oil

• Two-thirds of which is imported

• While our nation gets fatter and fatter and less and less healthy

• And the world believes we will spill “blood for oil”

USDOT,Texas Transportation Institute, Umass Center for Transportation, Pew Charitable Trust

But Our Culture Supports Driving

• Advertisers seek the child market because, once hooked, he or she rarely changes behavior

• The ‘license’ is a right of passage

• Car perceived of as ‘freedom’• The film hero always drives a

‘hot’ car• Media is supported by car

advertising dollars and product placement

• Media editors, bloggers, writers, designers, actors are all drivers

• Politicians cater to driving voters

• Few of us utilize any other means of transportation

Yet, We Must Change

“There’s really no doubt we’re going to have to change our habits. We’re going to have to design our cities differently. We’re going to need greater population densities and more public transportation.

“We could be in deep trouble as a social system. How do we achieve fairness when the gridlock between rich and poor already stops us from having an energy policy.”

“We could see democracy entering its death throes.”

Charles Maxwell, the energy guru often called “the dean of energy analysts”

Global Warming, Peak Oil, Health, Congestion, Foreign Policy, Parking, Space and

Land Use, SafetyNeed individual transport behavioral

change……in the short term

…on a massive scale…with little institutional power

…in a culture prizing individuality…with generally poor substitutions

…which often require decades to build

Paradoxes• Drivers underestimate time/cost of car.

Overestimate time/cost of alternatives• Building roadways to fight congestion

induces more traffic• Congestion caused by habitual, local

driving. Complex, multi-jurisdictional results

• Voters react primarily to congestion. Politicians can’t be seen to be ‘attacking’ driving voters

• Alternative transportation ‘stated preference’ unreliable. Yet seek ‘stated prefer’ data for funding

Alternative Solution

“Soft” Transportation Demand Management

• “Hard” – make people pay to drive• “Soft” – incentivize & educate them

w/Why & How to use alternatives• TravelSmart worldwide successfully

getting drivers out of single occupancy vehicles

• Bottom Line: Soft TDM is best approach to altering driving behavior in democracy

How Americans do TDM today

‘If you provide it, people will come’• Commute-oriented, “benefits day” handouts, CDs, web pages – Must “drive to” media

• Generally, promoted by employer’s low-level, human resource personnel

• With scant public backing, usually youngest planner on regional planning district staff

• Emphasis on time and dollar savings of using alternative commute modes

TDM –Community Social Marketing

• Employer Based – tied to existing American TDM

1. Save on parking2. Save on long-term health costs3. Decrease congestion, save construction dollars4. Doesn’t “threaten” potential voters

• Underscored by Communication, Marketing, Leadership and Consumer Behavior data

• Utilize consistent, simple Message• Best: “Carrots, Sticks AND Tambourines”

Community Social Marketing

TDM Discuss auto ‘externality’ issues w/staff at monthly department/division meetings. Socially market driving issues in short, five-minute segments (one issue/externality each meeting) led by “know-nothing” upper management

1. Illustrates organization leaders behind “right thing” • Upper management follows short basic script

2. Allows “framing” discussion • Max 10 slides keeps upper management directing info flow

3. Eliminates off-message questions • “Keep meeting short for department’s benefit”

4. Allows monthly reiteration of same, simple “right thing” message

• “The organization cares. Hope you do too”5. Reinforces “changers”

• Assures them they made right decision

Social Marketing

Health Externality Discussion

• Doctors prescribe walks today• Business: Every $ spent on

fitness returns $3.15 in health benefits

• Fit: Average 3-5 less sick days• Some employers pay bonus for

fitness -- $7 to $14 per percentage/#pounds lost

Greatest potential for organizational health benefits accrue if sedentary adults begin regular, moderate activity

• Like walk to transit stop daily

• Or daily active transportation

Community Dialogue Marketing

TDM

Monthly ask employees after social marketing/externality discussion if want more info or consider another transportation modeSign each individual up for dialogue marketing• Allows work with only employees most likely to

address habit while reminding mass of behavioral change need

• Allows bypass/isolation of advocates for auto lobby

• Builds towards individual and corporate “tipping point”

• Similar to ‘TravelSmart’ but employer-solution focus

• No one is coerced

Dialogue MarketingTDM

Have knowledgeable advocate individually market that employee

with data and rewards for attempting other commute styles

Akin to Australia’s “TravelSmart” program1. So effective that 135,000 families targeted in 2008, as many

as 12 personal contacts each, total of 418,000 households since 2000

2. Leadership support, from a distance3. All demographics – especially professionals – utilize

alternative transportation4. In Brisbane, beginning $22.6 million project to market

324,000 households

With social marketing, nudges the mass as well as quickly gathers “low hanging

fruit”

Dialogue Marketing

In every Aussie city except SydneyFor decade, Perth’s “individualized dialogue” marketing promotes alternative transport

• Have annual 13-percent reduction in car-miles driven 30 million less car trips with 88,000 tons less greenhouse gas annually

• 27-percent increase active/muscle-powered transport 7 million more hours of physical activity annually from 9 million more walking

trips & 4 million more cycling trips (up 58 percent)

• Stronger neighborhoods• Transit boardings up 4.2 million annually• 67:1 benefit-cost ratio – (auto projects 4:1)• Seeking diffusion, duration, carryover research in

Brisbane’s 324,000 home project – no health or neighborhood

Perth opened new commuter rail in December 2007 90% approval ratings, 67,000 first-day riders

Hired 250 new Bus Drivers to service rail line

Dialogue Marketing

Western AustraliaToday

Perth – a city of suburbs and freeways -- expanding TravelSmart conceptto individually, dialogue market

citizensin

Energy, Water, Recycling“People want to be part of the

solution. They just don’t know how.”Brög, TravelSmart founder, 2007

Long Term Results

• Adelaide, 3-year GPS project. Drivers traveling average 12.4 FEWER miles per day after TS marketing

• TS credited with re-vitalizing transit in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria

• Both Conservative and Liberal politicians love “tax dollars at work” letters marketed to solely people who care

• Brisbane built two, $6.5 million “end of road” cycle centers, budgeted $100 million in bike-ped trails, taking downtown lanes for Bus Rapid Transit

• Several communities placed political ban on road building

• Fed 2010 budget: 55% to commuter rail -- 80% to highways US

Australia Expanding Rapidly

“Given the findings to date, the number of evaluations undertaken, and theirconsistency, Australia is now in a position to move beyond piloting TravelSmart to engage in large-scale interventions in all major metropolitan and large regional centres.

“There is little further need to undertake major evaluations of household projects, as the Australian and international data is in broad agreement, and there is little need to demonstrate the effectiveness of methods used.”

Report to the Department of Environment:

Evaluation of Australian TravelSmart Projects in the ACT, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia: 2001–2005

Dialogue Marketing

TDM• Discover transportation/commute needs

Constantly tailor substitutions and adapt due to on-going “action” research

• Solve disincentives; Create incentives to mode change• Show options: Hike, bike, car-van pool, transit,

telecommuteBus schedule from nearest stop; Perhaps free

passBike shop discountsWalk/bike mapsActively connect employees working similar

hours• Emphasize guaranteed ride home program• Emphasize “occasional parke” program• Emphasize flex car possibilities

Chance for C-ville• Administration seeking “Livable Communities”

projects which tie transportation to global warming, oil vulnerability and neighborhood development

• And Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program has $2.8 billion

• Research dollars available, as well, from CDC, Department of Rails and Public Transportation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• FHWA now seeking unique concepts in its “Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program”

• EPA now seeking “Climate Showcase Communities”

• TIGRE funding

C-ville Next Steps

• Find employer willing to listen-believes in sustainability

• Seek specific funding: Seed money, blue moon

• Formulize “social marketing” plan• Connect VDOT Research Council• Connect health research partner;

UVA public health

Human Behavior Concepts

Nudge Thaler & Sunstein, 2008

The Tipping PointGladwell, 2000

Fostering Sustainable Behavior Mackenzie-Mohr & Smith, 1999

Changing Minds Gardner, 2004

Psychological Needs and the Facilitation of Integrative Processes Ryan, 1995

Why We Do What We DoDeci & Flaste, 1996

Randy Salzmansalz@rocketmail.com

Randy SalzmanTDM Research and Consulting

salz@rocketmail.com

CommunitySocial MarketingTransportation Behavior

Program

Dialogue Marketing Possibilities – Martha

Jefferson• Group biking/running

club/fitness center• Van/car pool discounts at Giant• Own electric bike share program• Electric trolley from old to new

location• Pedometers with monthly prizes• Van/car pool park free in best

spaces

Social, Dialogue Marketing Possibilities – Martha

JeffersonNot as well developed programs…

• Cornell University: 1990, now has 52 percent of employees arriving on alternative transportation

• Richmond VDOT began “Cash Out” parking after 2000 and has 1/3 of employees arriving on alternative transportation

• Washington metro area (and state) now limiting parking for organizations building new campuses

TDM – Martha Jefferson Plan

Need: Substitutions• Typical Transport

Plan: Demand MUST exist NOW

• Projection: MJH move will double traffic on Free Bridge

• Huge political pressure for new Rivanna highway bridge once MJH moves

• New Bus Service: Present CTS operating cost -- $357,000 per route annually

TDM – Martha Jefferson Plan

Need: Substitutions

• Foot bridge already on City master plan

• Riverside Park/Woolen Mills to State Farm

• Part of Rivanna Trail design

• Not on County’s Pantops Plan

• MJH moves: 2012

TDM – Martha Jefferson Program

Effects• Utilizes effective communications,

marketing, consumer behavior, behavioral change and leadership research

• Generates hard fact, not stated preference, data (Guaranteed ride home sign up)

• Convinces autonomous decision makers toward sustainability and promotion of sustainability

• Aids “carry-over” into other sustainability aspects on job and “diffusion” to other employees

• Reinforces “right” decision before, during, after fact

TDM – Martha Jefferson Program

Benefits• Cost Savings @ $23,000 a space• Improved employee health• Decrease future PR problem with

action now• Receive positive press as

“sustainable” and “niche” marketing

• Show hospital’s forward thinking• Illustrates “can be done” to

American policy makers• Boosts research reputation

C-ville Next Steps

• Find employer willing to listen-believes in sustainability

• Seek funding sources• Formulize “social marketing” plan• Connect VDOT Research Council• Connect health research partner in

hospital• Focus-group for internal survey

Community-based MarketingChange inevitable but most resist change

Self-Determination, Autonomous Decision Success“Autonomous choice requires a decision that is accompanied by the experience of endorsement and willingness.”

Deci, Why We Do What We Do

Seven Tools to Change MindsReason: Research: Resonance: Representational Re-Descriptions: Resources and Rewards: Real World Events: Addressing Resistances

Gardner, Changing Minds