Job Access and Reverse Commute (jarc) Program fy 2009 Service Profiles Region X alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington October 2010 fta-08-0162 Job Access and Reverse Commute (jarc) fy 2009 Service Profiles: Region X

King County Department of Transportation (141)

In Motion (142)

Location: Seattle (WA)
Type: Information-Based Services/Information materials/marketing
Goal: Improved customer knowledge
Service description: Implemented a community-based social marketing program to reduce drive-alone trips in southeast Seattle in the following neighborhoods: Beacon Hill, Columbia City, Mt. Baker, Othello, and Rainier Beach. Metro connected In Motion project to the introduction of One Regional Card for All (ORCA) smart card fare media and integrated the project with outreach associated with launch of Sound Transit Central Link Light Rail service and Metro transit service changes in Southeast Seattle.
We contracted with a team of consultants with experience in community-based social marketing programs to develop products, programs, outreach tools that were used in the program and we engaged stakeholders from community that included residents, businesses, social service agencies, churches, schools, ethnic community groups, City of Seattle departments and others to develop program materials, outreach events, incentive developments and other program elements. Outreach included Southeast Seattle In Motion website, neighborhood specific mailings, region-wide map, language specific brochures, and other marketing and outreach tools to reach residents in the community.
To prepare for the In Motion project, an effort was carried out to determine communication and travel barriers in the neighborhoods. Interviews, surveys, and outreach was carried out with community leaders, ethnic organizations and residents. Results were used in developing messages, strategies, outreach channels, and incentives for In Motion project.
Evaluation: The project used the following measures to track the impact and results of the Southeast Seattle In Motion:
1. The In Motion online database tracked the number of trips that participants logged, as well as vehicle miles, gasoline and CO2 saved.
2. Metro distributed a follow-up survey to participants.
3. Project team did follow-up interviews with business sponsors.
4. Project team held guided discussion groups with residents.
5. Tracked information requests especially by language
6. Project team completed summaries of each outreach event that detailed number of participants, languages, and feedback.
7. Follow-up interviews with community partners.
Accomplishments: Program achieved the following results: targeted 17,500 households in five neighborhoods, reached out to limited-English proficient (LEP), immigrant, and refugee populations speaking Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese (over 30% participants were LEP), engaged 1,167 participants, saved 143,082 vehicle miles, 7154 gallons of gasoline and 138,791 pounds of CO2.
Using community-based tools, project was able to reach groups that historically have not been participants in these types of programs. Using focus groups, stakeholders committees, experience consultants and various outreach techniques, a community wide effort was achieved.
Lessons learned: The In Motion team was able to use information and strategies from earlier efforts along with the targeted interviews in the community to develop a program that felt local, felt trusted, and became part of the neighborhood. There was some confusion due to trying to tie the effort to other investments taking place in the area (light rail and service changes) resulting in some confusion to our participants. In the future, projects will use some of the new social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook and these will appeal to some but will miss others so the traditional community based outreach will still be required.

King County Metro Rideshare Operations (143)