Introduction: Quality Counts A well-designed public transportation system is far more likely to lure new users and encourage regular rides than a system that has few routes, which has insufficient frequency, or which is generally not user-friendly. Therefore, the most important method of promoting public transportation in the city is to develop a good product. The product itself should be designed with the needs of both visitors and residents in mind, and likewise, a marketing and promotions strategy should also consider locals and tourists as different target markets. Once the system has been designed and is ready to be promoted, the city council needs to focus on what motivates people to ride. Is the city traffic congested? Are parking options limited and expensive? Are citizens ready to improve their quality of life by reducing their dependency on cars? These are all different angles an advertising campaign may take, while avoiding unnecessary moralizing that might turn off key audiences. People are also self-centered and want to know that riding actually benefits them, rather than perceiving it as a sacrifice. Therefore, to promote the use of public transportation, the city should focus on how riding is convenient, cost-effective, safe, and pleasant.

Significance of the Problem

The problem is one of perception. Perceptions directly predict behavior when it comes to eschewing a car for public transportation (Carrus, Passafaro & Bonnes, 2008). Not enough residents perceive the public...

Residents already know that public transportation reduces their carbon footprint and saves money; what they do not yet know is that public transportation can be easy and improve the city’s overall quality of life. A considerable amount of money has been invested in the public transportation system already, the bulk of which has come from taxpayer dollars but a significant portion of which is also derived from the private sector. Another problem is therefore that ridership levels are too low to justify any further investment in the system. Yet in order to attract new riders or encourage existing riders to use the system more, the city needs to promote public transportation and make it an attractive option for residents from different parts of town. An analysis of needs will demonstrate which areas are being underserved, improving safety, convenience, and accessibility to lure the target markets. The numbers are already there: according to the American Public Transportation Association (2018), over ten billion trips are taken on public transportation each year. The city can leverage these numbers with a sustainable growth model that focuses on the unique needs of residents and visitors.
Recommendations

Convenience

The first recommendation for promoting public transportation in the city is to highlight convenience factors. Convenience factors refer to things like the proximity of public transportation…