"Pssst. Hey Buddy. The first one’s free!" No, the WTA isn’t peddling candy or drugs; the addiction they are promoting is very benign. It won’t give you cavities or ruin your life. As part of an aggressive marketing campaign, the WTA is offering free rides on ferryboats. After all, there are worse things in life than getting addicted to public transportation.
Published: July, 2005
San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit (WTA) Lures Commuters Onto Ferries
"Pssst. Hey Buddy. The first one’s free!" No, the WTA isn’t peddling candy or drugs; the addiction they are promoting is very benign. It won’t give you cavities or ruin your life. As part of an aggressive marketing campaign, the WTA is offering free rides on ferryboats. After all, there are worse things in life than getting addicted to public transportation.
WTA consultant Donna Carter of Johnson/Ukropina Marketing firm, explained that customers need to be exposed to a new product several times before they decide they like it. From an initial free trial, ferry riders may purchase another single ticket. From a single ticket, they may invest in a 10 or 20 trip ticket book. Before you know it, Ms. Carter explained, ferry service becomes an integrated part of that customer’s day – "they start calling it my ferry or my boat."
Ms. Carter continued, "We realize that people have lots of transportation choices in the Bay Area, whether it’s their personal vehicle or another transit system. When you’re offering any product, you’re fighting inertia; in order to convince people to change their behavior, you have to make the cost low. That’s the value of a free ride: it’s very hard to argue with free."
Under contract with the WTA, Johnson/Ukropina has developed a multi-year marketing plan aimed at building the number of riders for both existing and future ferry lines in the Bay Area. The multi-year plan is intended to inform transbay commuters about ferries, lure people out of cars and onto ferries, and build relationships with present and future customers.
Bay Area Ferry Service: It’s Open for Business
2 for 1 Rides Offered on Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day, May-June 2005
Today’s ferry riders can travel between San Francisco and a variety of locations: Sausalito, Larkspur, Tiburon, Alameda, Oakland, Harbor Bay, or Vallejo. The WTA, in collaboration with Golden Gate and Alameda Oakland Ferry Services, offered a "buy one, get one free" special for passengers departing from Alameda, Oakland, or Larkspur on Mothers’ or Fathers’ Day. This offer was widely advertised in regional East Bay and North Bay consumer and business newspapers as well as on the web.
Jim Swindler, Golden Gate Ferry Manager, said, "Growing ferry ridership is a complex challenge, but with creative promotions such as the 2 for 1 travel on Mother and Fathers’ Days, new riders are certain to be attracted to a relaxing and scenic ride across the Bay, and after that, they more likely to join us again for another ride! In addition, current ferry customers are our best spokespersons and we look for special promotions to benefit them as well."
Targeting New Harbor Bay Ferry Riders
Mailing to approximately 5300 Harbor Bay and Bay Farm Island residents, the WTA offered a free roundtrip ferryboat ride between Harbor Bay and San Francisco. Postcard recipients could take advantage of the promotion, with a value of up to $11, by surrendering their card onboard between June 5th and 30th.
If regular Harbor Bay ferryboat rider Karen Bell is any indication, new riders are very likely to get hooked upon trying the service. Ms. Bell, who rides the ferry 5 days a week, said, "About a year ago, I wanted to avoid the traffic on the Bay Bridge. Someone suggested that I try the ferry; I tried it one time and never went back!"
Ms. Bell, a Harbor Bay resident who works as Director of Programs and Promotions for the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, is participating as a rider’s representative in the Alameda Ferry Service and WTA’s marketing efforts. According to Ms. Bell, commuting by ferry is an "experience most people don’t understand. I’ve made friends with passengers and crew. It’s a part of my life that’s integrated. It’s social. It’s a lifestyle. It brings a community feeling when you see other ferry passengers at the grocery store."
Bill Norton, Alameda City Manager, said, "The Harbor Bay Ferry offers residents a stress-free and quality transit experience to San Francisco. This is a great opportunity for residents to try the service again or discover it." The WTA is in negotiations with the City of Alameda to possibly take over Alameda/Oakland service, including Harbor Bay, within the next year.
WTA Building Ferry Ridership Before Day One of Service
By appearing at transit fairs, community groups, and other events, the WTA is getting out the word about available and soon-to-be-available ferries. The WTA expects to deliver new ferry service between South San Francisco and Jack London Square in Oakland by 2007/2008 and between Berkeley and San Francisco by 2010.
Green Cities Expo
June 3-5, as part of the U.N.’s World Environment Day, WTA held a booth at the Green Cities Exposition at Ft. Mason Center. More than 3000 visitors per day visited Green Cities Expo to learn about environmental and community organizations, socially responsible business, technology, energy, design, environmental building materials, conservation, art made from recycled materials, and alternative transportation options such as ferries. Members of the public seeing the WTA’s plan for ferry expansion asked: "Is this for real?"
Steve Castleberry, CEO, WTA, expressed it best: "The WTA has a unique opportunity to learn from our riders before day one of our ferry service. We’re taking notes on what works to get more passengers on today’s ferry system. We hope to use what we learn to build riders on our new ferry routes." In other words, the WTA is making ferries real for many Bay Area residents.
