Humboldt County Association of Governments...Moore & Associates, Inc. | 2017 8 Section 2 |...

moore& associates

Humboldt County Association of GovernmentsRegional Transit Marketing and Unified Branding Plan

December 2017

HumboldtCountyAssociationofGovernmentsRegionalTransitMarketingandUnifiedBrandingPlan

Moore&Associates,Inc.|2017

TABLEOFCONTENTSSection1:SituationalAnalysis..........................................01Section2:SWOTAnalysis.................................................08Section3:AnalysisofMarketing.......................................10Section4:MarketingTactics.............................................13Section5:UnifiedBrandingPlan.......................................22



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Section1|SituationalAnalysisPublictransitservices inHumboldtCountyplayavitalrole inthecommunitybyprovidingreliableandaffordabletransportation.Promotionisimportantformaintaining“top-of-mind”awareness.Marketingofatransitserviceshould:

• Establish“top-of-mind”serviceawareness.• Increaseridershipandfarerevenue.• Increasecommunityawarenessandsupport.• Raiseawarenessofregionaltransitconnectivity.

HumboldtCountyAssociationofGovernments(HCAOG)isalsoexploringthepossibilityofdevelopingaunified brand for public transit services provided throughout the county. A unified brand wouldpotentiallybebeneficial inencouragingtravelthroughouttheregion,as itmightremovethepotentialmentalbarrierofhavingtotransferbetweenservices.Aunifiedwebsitemayalsoincreasethelikelihoodofridersutilizingtransitservicestomovethroughouttheregion.Before a unified regional brand ormarketing plan can be implemented for Humboldt County transitsystems, it is important to conduct a situational analysis to identify the county’s transit customers,potential customers, business environment, and the impact these factorsmayhaveon theHumboldttransitsystems.California’sRedwoodCoastHumboldtCountyisageographicallylargeandmostlyruralcountylocatedinnorthwestCalifornia.Ithasseven incorporated cities: Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Rio Dell, and Trinidad, inadditiontoseveralunincorporatedtownsandsmallercommunitieswhichareCensus-designatedplaceswithinthecounty.HumboldtCountyishometoancientredwoodforests,themythicalBigFoot,andhigh-qualitymarijuanafarms.Thegeographyiscoastalandmountainouswithapproximately1,400milesofcountyroadsandcitystreetsalongwith378milesofstatehighwaysandroadways.Mudslidesoccasionallyclosetheroadsystemandisolatethecounty.HumboldtCounty’smixofurbanandruralcommunitiescreatesauniquechallengeforprovidingpublictransitservices.Further,transportationservicesarecurrentlyprovidedbymultipleorganizations,whichaddstothecomplexityofservice.According toanonline community surveyof242HumboldtCounty residentsabout transitneedsandperceptions conducted in Spring 2017, the top three transit services utilized by respondents wereRedwoodTransitSystem(RTS)Mainline(45.9percent),EurekaTransitService(ETS)(24.4percent),andArcata & Mad River Transit System (A&MRTS) (16.9 percent). A near-equal number of surveyrespondentsindicatedtheyusedtransitlessthanonedaypermonthinthepastyear(39.3percent)asthosewhousedittwotofivetimesperweek(36.5).1

1Appendix-TechnicalMemorandumOne:ExistingConditionsandTransitReview,HumboldtCountyTransitDevelopmentPlan2017-2022(TDPAppendix).



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Asdiscussed inTechnicalMemorandumOne:ExistingConditionsandTransitReviewof theHumboldtCountyTransitDevelopmentPlan2017-2022(TDP)(thesourceforthetablesutilizedinthisdocument),HumboldtCounty’spopulationofapproximately135,000islargelyconcentratedaroundHumboldtBayindowntownEureka,downtownArcata,andwestMcKinleyville.ThisisillustratedinFigure1.2

HumboldtisGrowingAsindicatedinTable2,thepopulationofHumboldtisexpectedtogrowslowlybetween2010and2030.RetireesThe most significant population increase is expected to be of persons age 62 and older, which isestimatedtoincreaseby92.1percentbetween2010and2030.Thisiscomparedtoanoveralldecreaseof 10.9 percent among school-age youth, and decrease of 2.4 percent of working age adults. Highproportionsofpersonsage62andolderliveintheWesthaven/Trinidadarea,Loleta,Fortuna,andnearthezooinEureka,aswellasinPetroliaandGarberville.3Theseprojectionssuggestasignificantneedforanincreaseinseniortransportationservices.YouthAlthoughtheyouthpopulationisexpectedtodecreaseoverthenexttwodecades,areaswithrelativelyhighconcentrationsofpersonsaged5to24 includeHoopa, theHerrickAvenueareasouthofEureka,Samoa/Manila,andSouthFortuna.4InArcata,HumboldtStateUniversity(HSU)increasestheCity’spopulationbyapproximately50percentbetween late August and lateMay. HSU students are the primary riders of the Arcata &Mad River

2TechnicalMemorandumOne:ExistingConditionsandTransitReview,HumboldtCountyTransitDevelopmentPlan2017-2022(TDP).3TDP.4TDP.



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TransitSystem.TheCollegeoftheRedwoodsisatwo-yearcommunitycollegelocatedsouthofEurekaandenrollsapproximately7,600commuterstudentsannually.5

Low-IncomeHumboldtCountyhasasignificantnumberoflow-incomeresidents.AccordingtotheUSCensus,thereare 28,158 persons in Humboldt County living below the federal poverty level (21.4 percent of totalpopulation,comparedto16.3percentinCaliforniaasawhole).MuchofthepopulationaroundHSUisconsideredtobelivingbelowthepovertylevelduetotheirstudentstatus.However,otherareaswithhigherlevelsofpovertyincludedowntownArcata,downtownEureka,Fortuna,andHoopa.6Humboldt’sPotentialRidersAnindicationoftransitdependencecanbenotedbythenumberofhouseholdsthatdonotownorhaveaccess to a personal vehicle. In Humboldt County, there are 4,275 such households, with aconcentration inEureka’sdowntownandHendersonCenter,aroundHumboldtState inArcata,and inFortuna.Inaddition,thereare18,531householdsthathaveonlyonevehicleavailable,whichcanresultintransitdependencyifmultipledriversshareonevehicleorifthatvehiclebecomesinoperable.7Accordingtothe2017onlinecommunitysurvey,58.3percentofnon-transituserrespondentssaidthatvehicleownershipwasthenumberonereasonwhytheydidnotutilizethebussystems.Otherreasonsindicatedwere,“It’snotfrequentenough”(8.3percent)and“ItdoesnotoperatethehoursIneed”(8.3percent).Inthesamesurvey,40percentofnon-transituserrespondentsindicatedthatthesinglemostimportantimprovementtothesystem(s)wouldbetohavebusstopsclosertotheirhome.Morethan43percent indicated they were between the ages of 23 to 45 and 29.4 percent indicated they werebetweentheagesof46to61.Thesewerethetwo largestagegroupsofsurveyrespondents.Roughly

5TDP.6USCensusTableS1701,PovertyinthePast12Months,ACS2011-20155YearEstimates(%).7USCensusTableB25044:TenurebyVehiclesAvailable,ACS2011-20155YearEstimates.



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halfofrespondentsindicatedtheyhadtwolicenseddriversintheirhousehold(48.3percent).Nearly66percentofrespondentssaidtheyhadaccesstooneortwoworkingvehicles.8Table4 lists thecommute travelcharacteristicswithinHumboldtCountyasdrawn fromtheAmericanCommunity Survey (ACS).Most notable from this table is that 72.3 percent of all Humboldt Countycommuterschoosetodrivetoworkalone.9

A relatively smallproportionofHumboldtCounty commutersusepublic transit toget towork.Areaswith the largest percentage are Fortuna,Eureka, west McKinleyville, south of Fortuna, andRedway/Shelter Cove. Considering that Humboldt County is proud of its natural surroundings, anenvironmentalappealmightpromptsomeofthesechoiceriderstoutilizetransitservices.

8HumboldtTDPAppendix.9TDP.



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Table 5, drawn from the US Census 2010 Longitudinal Employer Household Dynamics, illustrates thenumberofcommuterstravelinginandoutofthecounty’slargercommunitiesforwork.10Opportunitiesforappealingtopotentialtransitriderscanbedrawnfromthefollowingdata:

• Nearly39percentofArcataworkingresidentsstayinArcatatowork,whilemorethan76

percentofArcataworkerscomefromoutsideArcata.• Nearly46percentofEurekaworkingresidentsstayinEurekatowork,whilenearly74percentof

EurekaworkerscomefromoutsideEureka.• Just27percentofFortunaworkingresidentsstayinFortunatowork,while77percentof

FortunaworkerscomefromoutsideFortuna.• EurekaanditssurroundingareaarethelargestsourceofoutsideworkersinbothArcataand

Fortuna.• TheareasurroundingEurekaisthelargestsourceofoutsideworkersinEureka,followedby

McKinleyville.

10TDP.



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This data suggests there is a considerable amount of home-to-work travel between communities inHumboldtCounty.Forreference,commutedistancesforthemostcommonpairingsareshownbelow.Table6:CommuteTravelTimes/Distances

Commutepairing Mileage/CommuteTime(One-Way)

Arcatato/fromEureka 9miles/14minutesFortunato/fromEureka 18miles/21minutesMcKinleyvilleto/fromEureka 16miles/20minutesMcKinleyvilleto/fromArcata 8miles/9minutes

HumboldtWorksAccordingtotheCaliforniaDepartmentofLabor,thetopemployersinHumboldtCountytodayincludeagricultural,medical,educational,andgovernmentalentities.AsshowninTable6,thelargestemployeris the St. JosephHospital in Eureka,withover 1,000employees, followedby SunValleyGroupwhichemploys between 500 and 1,000 in greenhouses in Arcata. All of the top employers are in Eureka,Arcata,Trinidad,BlueLake,andKorbel.11

11TDP



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Table7:TopHumboldtEmployersEmployer LocationIndustry #ofEmployees



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Section2|Strengths,Weaknesses,Opportunities,andThreats(SWOT)AnalysisDeveloping a SWOT analysis allows an organization to better understandwhere it stands in the market by examining its respective strengths,weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths are internal attributeswithin an organization that can be used for developing a competitiveadvantage or achieving specified goals. Weaknesses are other internalattributes thatmay work against an organization’s objectives.Opportunitiesare external conditions, usually out of an organization’s control, that arehelpful in achieving objectives. Threats are external conditions that workagainstobjectivesandarealsooftenoutofanorganization’scontrol.By examining all transit providers within Humboldt County, we are able to see the “big picture” oftransitwithinthecounty;therefore,someweaknessesmaynotapplytoeveryoperator.Thetablebelowsummarizesthecurrentstrengths,weaknesses,opportunities,andthreatsforpublictransitinHumboldtCounty.

Strengths• Facilitatesregionalconnections• Riderbasethatistransit-dependent(and

thereforereliable)• Individualsystemsarewellrecognizedwithin

respectivecommunities• Individualsystemshavestrongrelationships

withcommunity• Individualsystemshavehighcustomerservice

standards

Weaknesses• Lackingcohesiveregionaltransitinformation.• Limitedinteractionbetweenindividual

providersandtheHumboldtCountycommunityatlarge

• Inconsistent/limitedhoursofoperation• Inconsistentavailabilityofonlineinformation

Opportunities• Internetisprimarysourcefortransit

informationforcurrentriders• Unifiedbrandforregionaltripplanningand

transiteducation• Environmentalinitiatives(e.g.,SB375)• Localeducationalinstitutionswithhighnumber

ofstudents• Medicalfacilitiesaretargetareasofriders• Highinstancesofpovertyand/orstudentstatus

leadstotransit-dependentresidents• Caltransgrants• Federalfundingprograms

Threats• Preferencefor,anddominanceof,personal

vehicles• Changestofederalfunding/regulatoryclimate• Lackofunderstandingaboutwhatregional

publictransportationencompasses(e.g.,servicesprovidedregionallyvs.provider-specificservices)

• Individualsystemreluctancetoadoptregionalbranding/lossofidentity

• Regionalbrandingoftransitsystemisviewedasbothcomplementaryandcompetitivebylocaltransitservices



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Each transit system in Humboldt County serves a base of loyal riders and provides a valuable travelalternative.Byforgingnewandcontinuedpartnershipswithacademicinstitutions,healthcarefacilities,and community services organizations, operators can increase ridership and fare revenue bothregionallyandwithintheirindividualsystems.Investing in social media, well-branded regional marketing materials, and community/employeroutreachprogramscouldattractnewriderstoHumboldtCountytransitsystemsandhelpportraypublictransportationasaneco-friendlyand,perhaps,“cool”alternativetodrivingapersonalvehicle.ElementsofMarketingA well-rounded marketing program has multiple facets, each with a distinct purpose. Moore &Associatesrecommendsutilizingacombinationofmarketing,advertising,andpubliccommunicationstopromotearegionallybrandedHumboldttransitsystems.MarketingMarketing is the process by which the Humboldt unified regional brand motivates the consumer. Itinvolvesthinkingabouttheregionalsystemsandservices in termsofcustomerneedsandsatisfactionandtheneducatingthecustomerwhyhe/sheneedstoridevarioussystems.AdvertisingMost advertising seeks to increase salesof aproductor service throughpaidmessaging that is oftengeneral innature.Advertisingbuildsonprice,product,promotion,andplacetoactivelycommunicatethemessagetocustomers.PubliccommunicationsPublic communications is the transmittal of information fromanorganization to thepublic. It canbeused to communicate news such as schedule or fare changes, new destinations, and importantmilestones;upcomingpromotionsoractivities;andadvisethecommunityofinvolvementopportunities.MarketingActivitiesThere are two primary types of marketing activities – Those that support the regional brand on anongoing basis, and those that support a specific campaign or activity. Ongoing marketing activitiesincludethepreparationanddistributionofinformationalcollateralsuchasriderguides,maintenanceoftheregionallybrandedHTAwebsite,anddesignandimplementationoftoolsthatmakeiteasiertousethevariousregionalsystems(suchasonlinetripplanningandmobileapplications).Theyaregeneralinnature and are often targeted to the population as a whole, rather than a single demographic orsegment.Campaign-oractivity-basedactivitiessupportaspecificcampaignandareusuallyusedforadefined period of time and in combination with ongoingmarketing activities. Such activitiesmay betargetedtoaspecificsocio-demographicsegmentwithtailoredthemesandmessaging.Whileamarketingcampaignmayincludesomepaidadvertising,itenhancesaconsistencyofmessagingthroughcollateral,communications,andcustomerservice.ItcreativelyconveysthebenefitsofhavingaunifiedregionalHumboldtCountyTransitAuthoritywhiletargetingoneormorecustomersegments.



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Section3|AnalysisofMarketingDuring the course of the TDP and marketing plan development, Humboldt Transit Authority hassignificantly redesigned its website. Subsequent to initial discussions about implementation of aregionaltransitwebsite,HTAincorporatedmanyelementsthatbringthesiteclosertoacomprehensiveregional site forpublic transportation inHumboldtCounty. (Furtherdiscussionof the regional transitwebsiteprocessandscenariosisprovidedinSection5.)ThissectionprovidesananalysisofkeymarketingelementsforeachHumboldtCountytransitoperator.HumboldtTransitAuthorityWebsiteLocatedatwww.humboldttransit.org, theHTAwebsiteservesasan informationclearinghouse for themajorityoftransitserviceinHumboldtCounty.ThewebsitealsoprovidesinformationontheAuthorityitselfthroughAdministrativeInformationlinkslocatedatthebottomofthepage.The HTA website is interactive and easy to use, featuring a trip planning, service-specific route andschedule information, a map of the region, and separate pages for “How to Ride” and “Fares andPasses.”ThetripplannerusesGoogleMapsandalsoprovidelinkstodownloadtheTransitappforreal-timearrivalinformation.Thesiteisalsosearchableandoffersatranslationoption.Transit options included under “Choose a service provider” include Redwood Transit System (RTS),WillowCreekIntercity,Arcata&MadRiverTransitSystem(A&MRTS),EurekaTransitService(ETS),TishNonVillageTransit, SouthernHumboldt Intercity, SouthernHumboldt Local,BlueLakeRancheria,andDial-A-Ride.NotincludedonthelistofprovidersareKTNetandFortunaTransit.ThebottomofthemainpagefeaturesashortblurbabouttransitinHumboldtCountyaswellaslinksto“AboutHTA,”“StaffDirectory,”“AdvertiseOnboard,”“RequestsforProposals,”“Jobs,”“HTABoardofDirectors,” “Local Government Links,” “Transit Planning,” and “Title VI Non-Discrimination Policy andComplaint Procedure.” Individual logos also serve as links to service information for individualoperators.Alllinksappearedtobeworkingappropriatelyatthetimeofourreview.Thehomepagealsoincludesanareafornews,whichcurrentlyfeaturestwolinkstonewsitems(apublictransportationsurveyandinformationaboutanongoingstopclosure).The“HowtoRide”pageincludeslinkstoinformationon“PassengerConductandRules,”“Accessibility,”“Dial-A-Ride,” “Bring your bike onboard,” “Holidays,” and “Related Transportation Services.” The“Related Transportation Services” page includes links to neighboring transit systems Redwood CoastTransit/DelNortePublicTransitandTrinityTransit,aswellasalinktoKTNet.The“FaresandPasses”pageoffersinformationaboutfaresforeachserviceaswellashowtopurchasemulti-ridepasses.ItalsooffersalinktodownloadtheTokenTransitapp(forelectronicpayment)andalinktotheHTAonlinestore,whichallowsonlinepasspurchases.Wedid notice thatwehad problemswith the servicemaps being visiblewhenusing the Firefox andSafaribrowsers,thoughtheywerethereandinteractivewhenusingtheChromebrowser.



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CollateralAllroutesandservicesincludedontheHTAwebsitehavedownloadablecollateralavailable.However,thenatureofthiscollateralvariesbyprovider.Thisincludes:

• Arcata&MadRiverTransitSystem-.pdfoftimetablesonly.• RedwoodTransitSystem–.pdfofRoutes,Maps,andSchedulesbrochure.• SouthernHumboldtLocal–.pdfoftimetableonly.• SouthernHumboldtIntercity–.pdfoftimetableonly.• EurekaTransitService–.pdfofRoutes,Maps,andSchedulesbrochure.• TishNonVillageTransit–.pdfofroutemap(withRTS)andschedule.

SocialMedia

• Facebookpagewithapproximately625followers.Regularpostings,averagingthreepermonth,regardingrouteandcommunity information.More informationcouldbesharedviaFacebook,includingsurroundingtransitsysteminformation.

KTNetWebsiteTheKTNetsiteisastand-alonewebsiteatwww.ktnet.org.Thesystemwouldbenefitgreatlyfrombeingbetter integrated into the HTA website (including the trip planning function and interactivemap). Amenusystemutilizingiconsaslinkswouldcreateasignificantlymoreuser-friendlyexperience.Thereisan online purchasing capability for buying books of tickets. The agency’s Title VI Program isdownloadablefromthehomepage.Collateral

• .pdfbrochurewithserviceinformation,map,andschedule(updatedOctober2017).

SocialMediaFacebookpagecontainsimages,originalcontent,routeinformation,andticketpurchasingcapabilities.However,only75peoplearefollowing.BlueLakeRancheriaWebsiteThissystemcurrentlyhasawebpagewithintheBlueLakeRancheria’swebsite(www.bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov/boTransit.html). The systemwouldbenefit greatly frombeingbetter integrated into theHTAwebsite(includingthetripplanningfunction).Asimplemenusystemutilizingiconsaslinkswouldcreateasignificantlymoreuser-friendlyexperience.Adownloadablecomment/complaintformisalsoavailableonthewebpage.Collateral

• .pdfbrochurewithserviceinformationandschedule.



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FortunaTransitWebsiteFortuna Transit has a webpage within the City of Fortuna’s website(www.friendlyfortuna.com/index.aspx?nid=98). Because the system offers service only to seniors andpersons with disabilities, the information contained within the webpage is sufficient. However, FortunaTransitshould,ataminimum,beincludedasalinkunderHTA’slistofserviceproviders.LinksontheleftsideofthepageofferadditionalinformationincludingflyersaboutUnmetTransitNeeds,FortunaTransitRidersGuide, Transit Rider Emergency Information Form, Title VI Program (including complaint procedures andcomplaintform),ADAcomplaintform,andadditionaltransportationoptions.Collateral

• .pdfofFortunaTransitRidersGuidebrochure(onsidebarasLettertoRiders).



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Section4|MarketingTacticsInthe2017TransitDevelopmentPlanforHumboldtCounty,theconsultantrecommendedanumberofspecific service changes. We have identified recommendedmarketing tactics for each of those TDPrecommendations. Wehave followed thisdiscussionwitha seriesofgeneralmarketing tacticswhichcanbeappliedacrosseachindividualoperatororutilizedtopromotearegionalunifiedbrand.TDP-specificMarketingTacticsArcata&MadRiverTransitSystemTDP Recommendation: Adjust transit schedule to better match HSU class schedules/increase tripchoices.Recommendedmarketingtactics:Therearetwokeyelementsnecessarytothisrecommendation.Thefirst is the provision of up-to-date schedule information through the A&MRTS website and printedcollateral. This is a standard component of any schedule change. The second is marketing of theschedulealignment.Thepurposeoftheschedulechangeistoenhanceconnectivityandincreasetraveloptionsamongtransitriders.Tothatend,A&MRTSshouldpromotethisservicechange,particularlyontheHSUcampus. It is likely that this servicechangewillattractnewriderswhodonotcurrently ridebecause of the existing tight schedule. We recommend notifying current and potential riders of thisserviceimprovementusingthefollowingtactics(listedinpriorityorder):

• Socialmediacontent(HTAFacebookandHSUFacebookandTwitter),• Mediarelease,• Onboardnotices(carcards),• Flyers/postersatHSU,and• Newspostonwww.humboldt.eduhomepage,• DisplayadvertisementintheLumberjacknewspaper.

TDPRecommendation:Makethecommunitycenteranon-demandstop.Recommendedmarketingtactics:GiventhecommunitycentercurrentlyrequiresadeviationfromtheprimaryalignmentoftheRedRoute,andridershipisconsistentlylow,convertingthistoanon-demandstop isareasonabletactic. However,A&MRTSshouldundertakesomespecificmarketingactivitiestomitigatetheimpactofthischangeforthosewhodousethestop.

• Postonboardnoticesadvisingcustomersoftheproposedchange.• Prepareinformationalmaterialabouthowtouseanon-demandstop.• Addresstheseniorswhoutilizethemealprogramtonotifythemthatthe11:01a.m.and1:01

p.m.servicetothecommunitycenterwillberegularstopsandwillnotneedtoberequested.• Updateserviceinformationtoreflecttheon-demandnatureofthestop.

TDPRecommendation:ExtendtransitservicetoSouthGStreet.Recommendedmarketing tactics: Oneof thepurposesofaTDP is toensure thetransit servicebeingprovidedmeets theneedsof the community. Theextensionof transit service to SouthG Street andSouthHStreetwouldprovideservicetoanareawithhigh-densityhousingandcommercialproperties.



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A&MRTSshouldtakestepstonotifyexistingridersaswellasresidentsandvisitorstotheSouthGStreetareathattheserviceisbeingextended.Werecommendthefollowingtactics:

• Updatingofinformationalcollateraltoreflectthenewalignment,• Onboardnotice(carcard),and• Directmail(postcard)tohigh-densityhousing(especiallymulti-familydwellings)andcommercial

businesses.TDPRecommendation:Provideahigh-frequencyshuttlebetweenHSUanddowntowninpeakperiods(contingentuponfunding).Recommendedmarketing tactics: Should sufficient fundingbe identified to implement this service, itwill require focused promotion in order to build up ridership (and not just poach riders from otherA&MRTSroutes). Therecommendedmarketingtacticsarelargelythesameasthoseproposedforthescheduleadjustmentdiscussedearlier,thoughheretheyareprioritizedsomewhatdifferently.

• Socialmediacontent(HTAFacebookandHSUFacebookandTwitter),• Mediarelease,• Newspostonwww.humboldt.eduhomepage,• DisplayadvertisementintheLumberjacknewspaper,• Onboardnotices(carcards),and• Flyers/postersatHSU.

HumboldtTransitAuthority(InclusiveofRedwoodTransitService,WillowCreek,SouthernHumboldt,TishNonVillage,andEurekaTransitService)TDPRecommendation:IntroduceRTSMainlineexpressservicebetweenEurekaandArcata.Recommendedmarketing tactics: The RTSMainline service currently experiences overcrowding. TheTDPrecommendsdeployingoneadditionalbusbetweenthehoursof7:00a.m.and10:45a.m.and2:00p.m.and6:30p.m. to increase frequencyand improveservicequalityon theMainlineservice. Whileinforming current riders of the improvement is important, a ridership on the new trips of primarilyexistingcustomerssimplyredistributestheexistingridershipwhileaddingservicehours.Therefore,itiscriticaltogetthewordout intothecommunityabouttheservice improvementsthatarebeingmade.Therefore,werecommend:

• Mediarelease,• Socialmediacontent(Facebook),• Onboardnotices(carcards),and• DisplayadvertisementintheEurekaTimes-Standard.

TDPRecommendation:EliminateweekdaySouthernHumboldtlocalserviceandprovideSouthernHumboldtIntercityServiceonweekends.Recommendedmarketingtactics:ThisrecommendationwouldeliminatetheSouthernHumboldtLocalservice, which travels between Benbow and Miranda eight times per day. The Southern HumboldtIntercityservice,whichincludestheLocalalignment,operatesfivetripsperday.Thisresultsin13tripsper day within the Local corridor, which has relatively low performance. The TDP recommends



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eliminatingweekdayLocalserviceandmaintainingIntercityservice,whichwouldstillprovidefivetripsperdayandwouldallowIntercityservicetooperateontheweekends.Thisservicerecommendationrequirescarefulhandling.TheeliminationofweekdayLocalservicemustbe adequately noticed so that current riders can make alternate arrangements. However, werecommend the overall message for this change should focus on the positive – the introduction ofweekend service in Southern Humboldt. Messaging should emphasize the expansion of regionalconnectivity to sevendaysaweek,and shouldminimize the reductionof servicewhile still conveyingnecessaryinformation.Recommendedtacticsinclude:

• Mediarelease,• Onboardnotices(carcards),• Socialmediacontent(Facebook),and• NoticesatSouthernHumboldtLocalbusstops.

TDPRecommendation:AddWillowCreekServicestopinBlueLake.Recommendedmarketingtactics:TheWillowCreekServicecurrentlytravelspastBlueLakeasittravelsfromArcatatoWillowCreekalongStateHighway299,butitdoesnotstopthere.Thisrecommendationwouldaddanon-demandstop inBlueLake,whichwouldhave little impacttotheregularroute. TheBlueLakeRancheriaTransitSystem(BLRTS)alreadyprovidesservicebetweenBlueLakeandArcata,buttheWillowCreekServicewouldaugmentthatservicebyofferingonemiddaytripandoneeveningtripwhenBLRTS is not operating. Theemphasis shouldbeon additional opportunities for those travelingto/fromBlueLake,ratherthanencouragingexistingBLRTScustomerstousetheWillowCreekService.Recommendedtacticsinclude:

• Mediarelease,• Onboard notices (car cards) on theWillow Creek Service as well as the Blue Lake Rancheria

TransitSystem,and• Socialmediacontent(Facebook).

TDPRecommendation:EliminateTishNonVillageservice.Recommendedmarketingtactics: TheTDPrecommendseliminatingthisservice,whichhasperformedpoorly throughout itsexistence. Messaging should focusonnotifying current ridersandcoordinatingwith the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria regarding the change. The RTSMainline stops inLoletaon theweekends, and theTribeprovides some transportation services foreldersandchildren.Recommendedtacticsinclude:

• Mediarelease,• OutreachtoBearRiverBandofRohnervilleRancheria,• Onboardnotices(carcards),• SignageattheLoletabusstop,and• Socialmediacontent(HTAFacebook,plustheBearRiverBand’sFacebook).

TDPRecommendation:ProvidelaterSaturdayserviceonRTSMainline.Recommendedmarketingtactics:ThisTDPrecommendationwouldaddoneadditionalhourofserviceinbothdirectionsonSaturdayeveningsontheRTSMainlineservicebetweenCollegeoftheRedwoods



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andValleyWest. Thiswasa frequentrequestonthesurveysconducted inconjunctionwiththeTDP.Marketing should focus on current customers with notification to the general public. Recommendedtacticsinclude:

• Mediarelease,• Onboardnotices(carcards),and• Socialmediacontent(Facebook).

TDPRecommendation:ProvideearlierweekdayserviceonETS.Recommendedmarketingtactics:EarlierweekdayserviceinEurekawouldfacilitateaccesstojobsandtransferstoregionalroutesbefore8:00a.m.TheTDPrecommendationwouldadd46minutesofservice(startingat6:14a.m.)ontheRedRouteand41minutesofservice(startingat6:11a.m.)ontheGreenRoute.Theprimarymarketingfocuswouldbeonpotentialcustomerswhodonotusetransitbecauseitdoesnotprovidetheearlymorningtraveltheyneed.Recommendedtacticsinclude:

• Mediarelease,• Onboardnotices(carcards)(onETSandconnectingregionalservices),• Socialmediacontent(Facebook,aswellasCityofEurekaFacebookandTwitter),and• DisplayadvertisementintheEurekaTimes-Standard.

CapitalRecommendationsTDP Recommendation: Replacement of 23 transit vehicles across the next five years. Considertransitioningtoelectric-poweredvehicles.Recommendedmarketing tactics: Replacementof somany transit vehicles across thenext five yearsprovides a valuable opportunity to move toward unified branding. Should HCAOG and the transitoperatorswishtomoveforwardwithafullyunifiedbrand,it isoftenamorecost-effectivedecisiontostartwithbrandingnewbusesthantospendmoneyrebrandingbusesthatwillbereplacedsoon.Thiswaybusescanbebrandedwiththeregionalbrandastheyarereplaced.Ifatrueunifiedbrand(thatinvolvesaconsistentlookthroughouttheCounty’stransitsystem)isdesired,itisimportanttohavethebrandingreadytogowhenthefirstvehiclesarereplaced.Thiseffortshouldbeaccompaniedbyamedia release informing thecommunityabout theunifiedbrandandwhat theycanexpect toseeoverthecomingyears. IfHCAOGelects tobegintransitioningtoelectricvehiclesaswell, Humboldt County’s commitment to the environment should also be promoted through generalmarketingaswell(mediareleases,socialmedia,etc.).The TDP also included a number of other capital recommendations, such as bus stop amenities,technology,andvehicleamenities.Transitoperatorsshouldtakeadvantageofanysuchimprovementsto get the word out to the community, as improvements or enhancements are excellent messages.Ideal (and inexpensive) tactics forpromotionofsuchenhancements includemediareleasesandsocialmedia.Newcustomer-focusedtechnologyoftenhasalearningcurve,soanysuchintroductionsshouldbeaccompaniedbyadequate instructionalmaterials,whether anonline tutorial, brochure,orhow-tovideo.



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GeneralMarketingTacticsInadditiontoimplementingtherecommendationsincludedintheMarketingAnalysis,whichisspecifictowebsiteandonlineregionalbranding,andthetacticsspecifictoTDPrecommendations(listedabove),Moore&Associates recommends the following activities as HCAOGmoves toward a unified regionalbrand. (Whileseveralbrandnamesareproposedinthefollowingsection,wehaveused“HTA”astheunifiedbrandforclarity’ssakeinthisdiscussion.)SocialMediainPhasesTo provide comprehensive regional transit information, Moore & Associates suggests that the HTAestablisharobustsocialmediapresencetoprovideroute informationandreal-timeupdates foralloftheindividualsystemswithinHumboldtCounty.

• PhaseOne: In PhaseOneof the socialmedia roll out, individual transit systems can continueutilizingtheirownsocialmediaplatformsasHTAmaximizesitsprofilesonFacebookandTwitterandestablishesitselfastheregionallybrandedtransitauthority.

• Phase Two:Once HTA has increased its following to include followers from the independentprovider networks and has consistently generated original and noteworthy content, theindividual transit systems should begin integrating HTA social media into their own onlineoutreach.Eachsystemcouldincorporatetheregionallybrandedsocialmedialinksonindividualwebsites and perhaps discontinue or “merge” their own social media platforms by invitingfollowerstomovewiththemtotheHTAunifiedregionalbrandedpage.

FacebookRedesign the HTA Facebook page to reflect the unified regional brand. Post at least three times perweekwith “official” information. Rideralerts shouldbepostedonanas-neededbasisand shouldbeinclusiveofalltransitsystemsintheCounty.

• Designaterepresentativesfromindividualtransitoperatorstoshareandpostinformation.• Follow local organizations/events/politicians/business owners in all Humboldt County transit

serviceareas.• Provide direct links to individual transit system websites (including those in neighboring

counties).• ConsidertargetedFacebookadvertising.• Createrelevantandregionallybrandedhashtags(#).

Evaluation–FacebookInsightsisusefultodeterminehowtheaccountmostefficientlyengageswithitsaudience.WerecommendthefollowingperformancemeasuresforFacebook:

• Nolessthanthreeuniquepostsperweek.• Averageatleast400postviewspermonth.



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TwitterRedesigntheHTATwitterpagetoreflecttheunifiedregionalbrand.Postfourtimesweeklywith“fun”messaging.

• Designaterepresentativesfromindividualtransitoperatorstoshareandpostinformation.• Followlocalorganizations/people/businesses.• Use hashtags to tie Twitter postings to larger topics and broaden exposure (e.g., #transit,

#commuter,#bluebus).• Follow,retweet,and@mentionrelevantmessagespostedelsewhere.

Evaluation – Twitter does not currently feature high-level analytics tools. Tracking followers, tweets,@mentions, and retweets is themost validmeasure of exposurewithin the Twitter community.WerecommendthefollowingbeastandardforperformancemeasuresforTwitter:

• Nolessthanfouruniquepostingsperweek.• Steadyincreaseinnumberof@mentionsandretweetseachmonth.• Steadyincreaseinfollowerseachmonth.

CommunityOutreachParticipationinCommunityEventsParticipationincommunity-wideeventscannotonlyraiseawarenessofprogramsandservicesprovidedby all transit systems included in the regional brand, but can promote the regional brand as a goodcommunitypartnerwhilereinforcingapositiveperceptionofpublictransitandexpandingknowledgeofregionalservices.WerecommendHTAenrollinorvolunteertoparticipateineventssuchas:

• TrinidadtoCalmBeachRun,• Farmer’sMarkets,• ArtWalks,• HumboldtFleaMarket,• HSUFilmFestival,and• HumboldtCrabsBaseball.

Evaluation – Immediate evaluation of community participation is difficult to assess. Be mindful ofcustomerfeedbackregardingtheeaseofuseandperceptionofpublictransit.Metricstoconsidercouldalso include the amount of marketing material/giveaways distributed and the number of visitors toevent/booths.SponsorshipofCommunityEventsSimilar toparticipating in community events, sponsorshipof suchevents is an excellentway toplace(andmaintain)aregionaltransitbrandinthespotlightwhileenhancingtheperceptionofthebrandasatrusted and valued community partner. Many events have multiple levels of sponsorship; werecommend focusing on one or two events per yearwhere the united regional brand is the primarysponsorforatleastoneofthoseevents.We also recommend creating partnerships with the College of the Redwoods and Humboldt StateUniversityinadditiontoconsideringsponsorshipof:



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• HumboldtCountyRollerDerby,• ArcataMainStreet,• EurekaMainStreet,and• AvenueoftheGiantsMarathon.

Evaluation–SeeParticipationinCommunityEventsevaluation.StudentRiderAppreciationDayWerecommendteamingupwiththeCollegeoftheRedwoodsandHumboldtStateUniversitytosetupa unified regional brand booth on both campuses and provide giveaways and service information toriders (and non-riders) to celebrate their use of public transit. If someone is new to transit, take theopportunitytoinformthemoftheunifiedregionalbrand.Iftheyhaveabuspass,providethemwithasmallthank-yougiftinappreciationofthecontinuedsupportofthetransitsystem.Usetheopportunitytoshowcase the transit systemscontainedwithin theregionalbrand,allowforonsitepasspurchases,andconducta“HowAreWeDoing?”surveyinconjunctionwiththeeventtolearnhowtransitsystemsareviewedoncollegecampuses.ThiscouldbedoneinconjunctionwithservicechangesaffectingHSU(suchasthescheduleadjustmentand/orintroductionofexpressservicetodowntown)tomaximizemarketingdollars.Evaluation–Monitorthenumberofgiveawaysand/orthank-yougiftsdistributedandsurveyscollectedduringadefinedperiodoftime.Alsotrackanymediamentions.DumpthePumpDayHumboldtCountyisanenvironmentallyconsciousareathatpridesitselfinpromotinganearth-friendlylifestyle.WerecommendsponsoringanenvironmentallyfriendlyDumpthePumpDayusingtheregionalbrand.Thegoalshouldbetoinformthepublicandpersuadeeco-mindednon-riderstoconsiderutilizingHumboldtCounty’stransitservicesinsteadofdrivingapersonalvehicle.NationalDump thePumpDayusually takesplace inmid-June. HTA shouldmarket theevent tobothcurrentandprospectivecustomerswitheblasts,mediablasts,socialmedia,onboardnotices,anddirectmailtobusinessandacademicinstitutions.Evaluation – Develop a trackingmechanism to identify howmany people rode transit specifically forDumpthePumpDayversusthosethatnormallyridethebus(e.g.,encourageDumpthePumpRiderstopostonsocialmediaandtrackhashtagsoradvertiseelectronicfarecodeforriderstoutilizeonDumpthePumpDay).Trackmentions in localandindustrymedia.Assesscustomerperceptionthroughridersurveys.GiveawayItemsMaintaininganactive inventoryofgiveaway items typicallyusedat communityeventsandsponsoredtransit days, such asDump the PumpDay,will assure readinesswhen opportunities arise to connectwithpotentialridersandthecommunityatlarge.Werecommendkeepingastockedinventoryofitemssuchastokenmotivatorgifts(suchaswaterbottles,frisbees,reusableshoppingbags,pens,post-its,andhandsanitizerfeaturingtheregionalbrand)andeventtabledécor(e.g.,foldabletable,tent,tablecloth,



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posters,handouts,easel,plexiglassdisplays,etc.)toensureHTAisalwaysreadyforcommunityoutreachopportunities.PublicCommunicationsMediaReleasesIssuingregularmediareleasesregardingregionalactivities,especiallyrouteupdates,expandedservices,communityoutreachactivities,partnerships,andawards,isanexcellentwaytocommunicatewiththepublic. We suggest a minimum of one media release per month be distributed to an establisheddatabase ofmedia contacts. Archive allmedia releases under the “News” tab on the regional transitwebsiteandmaintainnewsitemsforsixmonths.Evaluation – Track the appearance of news items related to the various Humboldt County transitservicesinlocalandindustrymedia.GoogleAlertscanassistwiththistracking.NewsletterEblastsWe suggest creating a customized eblast template for a consumer newsletter (e.g., Ride HumboldtNews)onaplatformsuchasMailChimp.Eacheblastshouldutilizeabrandedheaderandcatchysubjectlineasanemailteaser.Distributeeblaststoadefinedmailinglist.Contentshouldbeinformationalandbriefwithmultiplegraphics.Includeanoptiontosubscribetothenewsletterontheregionalwebsite.Evaluation –Mailchimpprovides clickthroughandopen rateanalytics. The first eblastwillmost likelyhave the highest performance. An average of 25 percent open rate and 10 percent clickthrough ratethereaftershouldbeexpected.AdvertisingLocalAdvertisingColorfuladvertisements in localnewspapersandmagazinescanhelpHTAcontrolaregionallybrandedmessage.We recommend running colorful andbrandedprint ads forevents suchasDump thePumpDayinpublicationssuchas:

• HSU–TheLumberjack,• HumboldtCountyNewsOnline,• HumboldtMagazine,• TheArcataEye,• EurekaTimes-Standard,• MadRiverUnion,• NorthCoastJournal,and• TheHumboldtIndependent.

Evaluation–Reviewcirculationfigurestodeterminereachofprintadvertisements.

RadioRadioadstargetpotentialcustomersintheirpersonalvehicles,whichcandelivertimelymessagesaboutthe convenience of Humboldt County’s transit services while people, particularly students andprofessionals,aresittingintrafficormakingalongdrive.



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WerecommendrunningradioadsonpopularEnglishandSpanish-languagestationsforcampaignssuchasDumpthePumpDayandStudentRiderAppreciationDay.Paid listeningstations (e.g.,SiriusRadio)and internet radio (e.g., Pandoraor Spotify) should alsobe targeted. Include a call to action, such as“ChoosepublictransitonDumpthePumpDay.”Stationstoconsider:

• RadioFreeHumboldt,• KWSW,• KWPT,• KHSU,• KMUE,and• KSLG–FM.

Evaluation – Assess penetration of radio advertisements by monitoring the increase in ridership inrelationtowhenadvertisementsair.VehicleDisplayAdvertisingRegionallybrandedvehicleadvertisingonbusesinvarioustransitsystemsthroughoutHumboldtCountyisaneffectivemarketingtacticto“catchtheeye”ofnon-ridersandtheHumboldtCountycommunityat-large.WerecommendsutilizingacolorfulandbrandeddisplaysforcampaignssuchasDumpthePumpDay,StudentAppreciationDay,andothercommunityeventsHTAissponsoringorparticipatingin.Evaluation–Assessimpactthroughcustomercommunications.



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Section5|UnifiedBrandingPlanInanefforttodeterminesupportforaregionalbrandandregionaltransitwebsite,HumboldtCountytransitoperatorswereinvitedtoprovidetheirinput.Fiveoperatorsrespondedtothesurvey.Resultsweremixed.

SupportforaRegionalTransitBrand SupportforaRegionalTransitWebsite

Basedontheresponsesreceived,someoftheseconcernswereclearlydefined.

• Rebrandingisexpensiveandtime-consuming.• Ourbrandisrepresentativeofourcommunityandwedon’twanttochange.• Wedon’twanttoconfuseourcustomers.• Wejustspentalotofmoneyupdatingourwebsite,andwedon’twantthatefforttogoto

waste.• Whoisgoingtokeepthewebsiteinformationuptodate?

Buttherewereclearbenefitsdefinedaswell.

• ItwillmakeiteasiertofindinformationabouttransitinHumboldtCounty.• Therewouldbeasinglepointofaccessforvisitorsandthosewhoarenotfamiliarwiththearea

ortransitprograms.• Itpresentstransitasanetworkratherthanjustasinglesystem.

Idon'tliketheideaofaunifiedtransitbrandatall

25%

Iliketheideaandsupportaunifiedtransit

brand50%

Iamundecided

25%

IliketheideabutIamconcernedaboutnothavingcontrol25%

Iliketheideaandsupportaunifiedtransitwebsite25%

Iamundecided

50%



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Whatdowemeanbya"unifiedbrand"?Whatitis: Whatitisn't:

• Representativeoftransitoperatorsthroughoutthecounty

• MakesHumboldtCountytransitoperatorseasytoidentify

• Simplifiesaccesstoinformation• Expandsawarenessoftransitoperators

throughouttheregion

• Formationofasingleconsolidatedtransitagency• Anautomaticlossofindividuality/localidentity• Acompleterebrandingatasignificantcost• Acauseofconfusionforcurrentcustomers• Alotofextraworkfortransitoperators

HCAOG and the transit operatorswere presentedwith fourwebsite and branding scenarios, rangingfromcoordinationtofullbrandconsolidation.Here,“GoHumboldt”isusedastheexampleofaregionalbrand.

UnifiedRegionalTransitWebsite UnifiedRegionalBrandScenario1:Alllocalwebsitesinclude“PartoftheGoHumboldtRegionalNetwork”andhavelinkstoallotherservicesinthecounty.Howitworks:Modestchangesaremadebyeachindividualoperator.Thereisnoadditionalstand-alonewebsite.Example:HTAaddslinkstoroutesoperatedbyKT-NetandBlueLakeRancheriatothemainpageofitswebsite.KT-Netincludeslinkstoalltransitsystemsinthecountyonitswebpage.WorkswithBrandingScenarios#1and2.

Scenario1:Alloperatorsadd“PartoftheGoHumboldtRegionalNetwork”toallvehiclesandmarketingcollateral.Operatorsretaintheirownidentities.Howitworks:Businessasusual.Operatorswillsimplyaddadecaltotheirbusesandsomeadditionallanguagetoonlineandprintmarketingandinformationmaterials.Example:RedwoodTransitcontinuestobeoperatedbyHTAusingexistingvehicles.Adecalisaddedtothebusandextrawordingtomarketingcollateral.WorkswithWebsiteScenarios#1,2,and3.

Scenario2:HTAwebsiteincorporatesdatafromallservicesintoitstripplannerandincludeslinkstootheroperators.WouldremainunderthecontrolofHTA.CouldbeidentifiedbyaregionalbrandnameevenifmanagedbyHTA.Howitworks:HTAtakesresponsibilityforaddingKT-NetandBlueLakeRancheriatoitstripplannerandcontinuesoperatingitswebsiteasusual.Eachoperatorwouldcontinuetooperateitsownindividualwebsite.LinkstoalloperatorwebsitesareincludedonHTA.org.Example:KT-NetandBlueLakeRancheriascheduleinformationisincorporatedintoHTA’stripplanner.AllsitesaddlinkstootheroperatorsasinScenario#1.WorkswithBrandingScenarios#1,2,and3.

Scenario2:Alloperatorsadd“PartoftheGoHumboldtRegionalNetwork”toallvehiclesandmarketingcollateralandcoordinateschedulestobetterfacilitateconnectivityforriders.Operatorsretaintheirownidentities.Howitworks:PrettymuchthesameasScenario1,exceptthatadditionalregionalplanningwillbeneededtobettercoordinateschedulesatconnectionpointstoenhanceregionalconnectivity.Example:ServicetoArcataTransitCenterprovidedbyRedwoodTransitSystemandA&MRTSiscoordinatedsolongwaitsarenotrequiredforconnectingpassengers.WorkswithWebsiteScenarios#1,2,and3.



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UnifiedRegionalTransitWebsite UnifiedRegionalBrandScenario3:Oneregionalwebsiteincludesserviceinformationfromalloperators,replacingindividualoperatorwebsites.Operatorsretainindividualidentities.Howitworks:Oneentitymanagesalltransitinformationforoperatorsthroughoutthecountyviaonewebsite.ThiscouldbeanexpansionoftheHTAwebsite.Operatorsdonotcontinuetooperatetheirindividualtransitwebsitesbutdoretainindividualidentities.Example:HTA.orgbecomesthesourceforalltransittripplanningandserviceinformationinthecounty.Linksareprovidedtoneighboringoperatorsoutsidethecounty.WorkswithBrandingScenarios#1,2,and3.

Scenario3:Alloperatorsareabsorbedintoasingleregionalbrandbutretaintheirownidentities.Operatorscoordinateschedulestobetterfacilitateconnectivityforriders.Routenamingisunified.Individualroutesmaybeprovidedbyspecificoperators.Howitworks:Alltransitserviceisprovidedunderanewbrand,suchasHumboldtTransit.Routesarerenamedtoofferconsistencyacrossthecounty.Individualoperatorscontinuetoprovidespecificroutes.Example:Route20:ArcataNorthisoperatedbyArcata&MadRiverTransitSystem.Route50:Hoopa-WillowCreekisoperatedbyKT-Net.Route72:TishNonVillageisoperatedbyRedwoodTransitSystem.WorkswithWebsiteScenarios#2and3.

Scenario4:Oneregionalwebsiterepresentsasingleregionaltransitsystem.Operatorsdonotretainindividualidentities.Howitworks:Alltransitisprovidedunderasingleunifiedbrand,andthereforeinformationisprovidedononesinglewebsite.Inpractice,thisisverysimilartoScenario3,butitrepresentsaunifiedbrandratherthanindividualoperators.Example:Anewstand-alonewebsitewithatripplanneriscreatedtoreflectthenewunifiedbrand.Linksareprovidedtoneighboringoperatorsoutsidethecounty.WorkswithBrandingScenario#4only.

Scenario4:Alloperatorsareabsorbedintoasingleregionalbrand,whichincludesasingle“look”(logo,colorscheme,etc.)forvehicles,routenames,etc.Operatorsdonotretainindividualidentities.Howitworks:Overtime,existingvehicleswillbereplacedbyuniformvehicleswiththesamecolorschemeandbranding.Routesarerenamedtoofferconsistencyacrossthecounty.Alltransitwillbeprovidedunderthenewbrand,withnodifferentiationregardingwhoisoperatingwhichroute.Example:Anewbrandentity(suchasHumboldtTransit)operatesallroutesusingvehicleswithaconsistentlook.WorkswithWebsiteScenario#4only.(Note:Whetherthisrequiresoperationalconsolidationisoutsidethescopeofthismarketingplan.)

Uponreviewof thescenarios,HCAOGandthetransitoperatorsoptedtomovetowardScenario3 forboth the website and branding, with potential to move to Scenario 4 at some point in the future.Therefore, the balance of this chapter focuses on implementation of Scenario 3 as well as proposesseveraloptionsfornewbranding.



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ImplementationPlanThefocusofScenario3istoprovideaunifiedlookandinformationresourcewhilestillmaintainingtheindividualidentitiesofthevariousHumboldtCountytransitprograms.Assuch,thefollowingstepsareproposedforimplementationoftheunifiedregionalwebsiteandtheunifiedbrand.UnifiedRegionalBrandItmaybedesiredtophaseinfullincorporationoftheunifiedregionalbrandgiventheextentofsomeoftheimplementationactivities.Forexample,addingtheunifiedbrandtoexistingtransitvehiclesmayberelativelystraightforwardandsimpletoaccomplishinPhaseOne,whilereprintingallcollateraltoreflectnewroutenamesandtheunifiedbrandmightbeundertakenaspartofPhaseTwo.

1. Selection of a regional brand (name, logo, tagline, colors, etc.). Several proposed brandidentitiesareprovidedlaterinthissection.

2. Additionofregionalbrandtoall transitvehicles. Weenvisionthisbeingaccomplishedusingastand-alone decal, which can be applied to the vehicles without requiring a change to theirexistingbranding.

3. Publication of all printed information, bus stop signage/information, marketing collateral,websites/online resources, etc. under the regional brand. This will likely require extensiverevisionstoexistingcollateral,aswellasupdatestoonlineinformation,newbusstopsigns,faremedia/passes,etc.

4. Renamingof routesusingconsistentnamingconventionsthroughoutthecounty. Thisactivitywouldprovidedescriptivenamesforeachroute,whichwouldallbeofferedundertheregionalbrand. The individual transitoperatorswouldbetheoperatorsof theroutes. Recommendednomenclaturefortheroutesareasfollows:

• Route10:Mainline(operatedbyRedwoodTransitSystem).• Route20:WillowCreekIntercity(operatedbyHumboldtTransitAuthority)• Route22:BlueLake(operatedbyBlueLakeRancheriaTransitSystem)• Route24:Weitchpec-Hoopa-WillowCreek(operatedbyKTNet)• Route30:ArcataNorth(operatedbyA&MRTS)• Route32:ArcataSouth(operatedbyA&MRTS)• Route34:ArcataSaturday(operatedbyA&MRTS)• Route40:EurekaCentral(operatedbyEurekaTransitService)• Route42:EurekaEast(operatedbyEurekaTransitService)• Route44:EurekaWest(operatedbyEurekaTransitService)• Route46:EurekaNorth(operatedbyEurekaTransitService)• Route48:EurekaCrosstownSaturday(operatedbyEurekaTransitService)• Route50:SouthernHumboldtIntercity(operatedbyHumboldtTransitAuthority)• Route52:SouthernHumboldtLocal(operatedbyHumboldtTransitAuthority)• Route54:TishNonVillage(operatedbyHumboldtTransitAuthority)

5. Coordinationofschedulestofacilitateconnectivitybetweenoperators.Asafinalstep,schedule

coordinationwouldensuremeaningfulconnectionsforregionaltravel.Forexample,foraridertraveling fromEureka to theairport, there isanywhere froma12- to43-minutegapbetween



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arrivingattheETSGreenRoutestopat4thandD(atoneminuteafterthehour)andthearrivalofthenorthboundRTSMainlinebuswithservicetotheairport.Suchalongwaittimecanmakeuseofpublic transitmuch lessappealing,andmanywouldchoose todrive if theoptionwereavailable. Coordinating local schedules to act as “feeders” to the regional services to thegreatestextentpossiblecangreatlyenhancetheattractivenessoftheregionalnetwork.

UnifiedRegionalWebsiteGivenrecentupdatestotheHTAwebsite,muchoftheworkhasalreadybeendone.However,thereareacoupleofitemswhicharenecessaryinordertofullyachieveScenario3.

1. Integrationofall transit information intotheexistingHTAwebsite.Currently,theHTAwebsiteincludesscheduleinformationforalloperatorsexceptKTNetandFortunaTransit.Inaddition,BlueLakeRancheriasimplyredirectstotheexternalBLRTSpage.TheHTAwebsiteshould,ataminimum,listKTNetandFortunaTransitontherightsideofthepageunder“ChooseaServiceProvider.” Ideally thepageswould thenhave the schedule information right there,butat thevery least should redirect to an external page (as it does for Blue Lake Rancheria). WhileFortunaTransitisaDial-A-Rideservice,itshouldstillbelistedandcandisplaythesametypeofinformationcurrentlyincludedontheDial-A-Ridepage.

2. Elimination of stand-alone transit information pages, except as referrers to the HTAwebsite.This would require the elimination of stand-alone information pages such as Blue LakeRancheria, KT Net, and Fortuna Transit. All transit information would bemaintained on theunifiedregionalHTAwebsite.

UnifiedRegionalBrandingIn developing potential unified regional brands, we considered themes and elements that would berepresentative of Humboldt County as a whole. The primary goal was to develop several brandidentities thatwould conveymovement,motion, or progresswhilebeing characteristic of the region.Fourconceptsarepresentedonthefollowingpages.



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Concept#1:GoHumboldtGo Humboldt, which was used throughout the branding discussionphase of this marketing plan, is the simplest of the concepts. Itreinforces motion using the word “go” and is consistent withbranding for the region’sairport, FlyHumboldt.The logo featuresabus image against a background of evergreen trees. The yellowbordersetsofftheimage.Concept#2:The‘BoldtThe ‘BoldtplaysonthenameHumboldtusing lightningbolt imagery.Thelightningboltimpliesswiftnessandmotion,whichisbeneficialforatransitsystem. Inthelogodesignshown,thelightningboltpiercestheO.Theyellowlightningboltcontrastswiththegreentextforhighcontrastimagery.Thislogowouldalsobeveryeffectivelyreproducedingrayscale.Concept#3:RideHumboldtTheRideHumboldtconceptisverysimilarinnaturetoConcept#1,butfocuseson the rideraspectofusing transit. The logodesignputs therideronthebustravelingthroughHumboldtCounty.Theshapeevokesapatchthatonemightfindonajacketorinasouvenirshop.Thecolorpalette features blues and greens, reflective of the naturalenvironment.Concept#4:BigfootTransitFinally,Concept#4takesamorewhimsical toneas itplaysoff themythologyofBigfoot. RatherthanfocusingonanimageofSasquatch,weelectedtofocusonthe“foot”elementofBigfootfortheBigfootTransit logo. Two logooptionsareprovidedbelow.Thefirst featuresamorerealistic footprint imageandanaturaldarkgreenandbrowncolorpalette.Thesecondhasamorestylizedfootwhichisadornedwithforestandriverelements.Bothdesignscouldbeeffectivelyportrayedingrayscaleaswell.

Humboldt County Association of Governments...Moore & Associates, Inc. | 2017 8 Section 2 |...

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