Transport

Portland, United States of America

SmartTrips informs and incentivizes Portland residents about alternative forms of transportation

Summary

SmartTrips is a comprehensive approach to reduce drive-alone trips and increase biking, walking and public transit in targeted geographic areas of the city. It incorporates the innovative and highly effective “individualized marketing” methodology, which hand delivers packets of information to residents who wish to learn more about public transportation. Key components feature biking and walking maps and organized activities which get people out in their neighborhoods or places of employment to shop, work, and discover how many trips they can easily, conveniently, and safely make without using a car. Success is tracked by evaluating qualitative and quantitative results from surveys and other performance measures.

What is it?

SmartTrips is an awareness campaign and communication effort to inform Portland’s citizens of the various modes of transportation available. The program is based on the assumption that people will change their travel behavior if provided with information about the full range of transportation options. SmartTrips identifies individuals who are interested in changing the way they travel by sending each household a SmartTrips order form, allowing residents to order different transportation options. Those who do so receive customized packets delivered by bicycle that include free transportation options information and incentives.

How does it work?

SmartTrips has identified four target areas to date with additional target areas to be determined. On average each target area will include approximately 20,000 households.

The Office of Transportation sends every resident in the target area a newsletter describing the SmartTrips program.

Residents have the option of disregarding the newsletter or signing up for SmartTrips information by filling out an order form either online or by mail.

Residents that respond are hand delivered customized packets with an array of public transportation information (brochures, maps, and city events). Messengers deliver these packets by bicycle. Those who do not respond are left alone.

SmartTrips currently has two active target areas. SmartTrips Northeast has already been completed:

1. SmartTrips Downtown
   • Currently being phased into downtown area as Office of Transportation works with different businesses to implement the program.
   • Employees can complete an on-line survey about how they currently get to work and can receive free transportation information such as bicycle and walking maps, car-sharing materials and carpooling information. This information is delivered to their workplace.
   • Employees can also request that city staff develop a customized transit trip plan, including bus route maps and schedules.
   • Each person who completes the survey may elect to receive a small gift.
   • Staff is currently assisting downtown employers to develop and implement policies that provide incentives to further reduce the number of drive alone trips downtown. Examples may include offering compressed workweeks and/or parking cash-out programs.
2. SmartTrips Southeast
   • The Program will begin on April 1, 2007.
   • Residents in this target area will receive a newsletter encouraging them to participate in the program.
   • Similar to the SmartTrips Downtown program residents are offered any additional information that they think would help them to use alternate modes of travel within their neighborhood. This information includes walking and bicycling events.
   • Staff has also compiled a neighborhood coupon book that encourages residents to walk and bike to local businesses.
   • Special events, such as “Senior Strolls” and “Women in Bikes,” assist unique demographic groups.
   • The SmartTrips Southeast program will run for one year before staff targets a new neighborhood.

Next steps

SmartTrips Downtown is expanding to include employees at more businesses. SmartTrips Southeast will start on April 1, 2007. Participants in all SmartTrips Downtown programs are surveyed at six-month and 1-year intervals to measure changes in travel behavior and to provide feedback for program improvements. SmartTrips Southeast pre- (2006) and post-surveys (2007) are administered in September to track actual behavior change through one-day trip diaries throughout a seven day period. Additional target areas within the City are being defined. Each year, SmartTrips plans to target a different area. Staff will develop a survey and organize events unique to that area.

Application

The Transportation Options Division, within the city’s Office of Transportation, is charged with developing and encouraging alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle trips. SmartTrips is one program within this division. Funding for the division comes from the city’s share of gas taxes and other transportation revenues, as well as energy tax credits earned by private businesses. Staff works closely with planners, engineers, and traffic safety specialists.