Mary Shaffer Greater Cleveland RTA Public Relations & Liaison

Agenda  General Overview Creating revenue & planning service  Communication & Outreach Employee participation Marketing materials Media opportunities

What are the Senior Games?  Senior Olympics: 11,000 athletes aged 50 & up  National organization Executive Director named in Cleveland, temporary staff hired as part of Sports Commission  RTA started conversations 1.5 years in advance, a true partner in planning, execution and communication

It all started with a plan  Identified funding Bulk sales of passes ($65,000) ODOT funding ($250,000)  Identified existing routes to venues and hotels; identified underserved areas  Collaboration with SG  Compiled communication needs  Scheduled a table-top exercise

25,000 Guests to Cleveland July 2013 (11,000 athletes) “Service on RTA was GREAT! “Everyone was so friendly.” \ “I’ve been in many U.S. cities, Cleveland out shines them all!”

Softball team from IL rides  Add a picture or two

The RTA Brochure & Map  Created map showing all transit, along with hotels & tourist attractions  Help visitors understand how to get from hotel to sports venues and around Cleveland easily on RTA  Became the only comprehensive MAP & most used marketing material of the Senior Games

Brochures – The ‘Map’

Inside the Map

Other RTA items to share  Airport Red Line has direct service to downtown; increased frequency  Extensive service to new Cleveland Convention Center (inaugural event)  Trolleys are always free; SG stop  RTA is everywhere – here to help!  All included on special webpage and map/brochure

Communication Plan  Offered story ideas to SG Driver profile, photos, videos, rides  Create map of RTA service, integrated with other communications  Drive traffic to our special website  Offer help via customer service phone  Keep all employees in loop

Getting employees excited  8 days help needed: Staffing at Convention Center, Public Square/Tower City and CLE  Communications Cartoon panel – Floyd & Friends Letter from CEO  Drive them to SG website and special page with venues & events listed

RTA staff at airport station

Working with the Media  Part of strategic outreach in plan Piggybacked & added RTA specific items  Involved in press conferences, preview events: linked to social media  Crisis communication plan created; coordinated with general crisis plan  Assigned spokesperson and back-up

Practice Crisis Response  Hosted 100 person an I-STEP (Intermodal Security Training Exercise Program) tabletop exercise: invited venues, universities, hospitals, FTA, TSA and state officials  Practiced transit related scenarios  Brainstormed other possible scenarios & appropriate response

Lessons Learned  Start early; structure a plan  Collaborate extensively and often  Take the Lead Without our Map, 25,000 visitors would have nothing to hold in their hands going around downtown Gay Games in Cleveland this year!

More Information RTA Public Relations Mary Shaffer

Captain RTA thanks you!!