This presentation summarizes the findings from TCRP Synthesis 99: Uses of Social Media in Public Transportation.

1. Friends, Fans, and Followers:
Uses of Social Media in
Public Transportation
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FROM
TCRP SYNTHESIS REPORT 99
SUSAN BREGMAN
OAK SQUARE RESOURCES, LLC
Wake Up to the Social Media Challenge
Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting
13 January 2013

2. Introduction
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
HOW AGENCIES USE SOCIAL MEDIA
COMMON BARRIERS AND OBSTACLES
LESSONS LEARNED
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

3. Research Overview
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

4. Research approach
 Research conducted between November 2010 and
September 2011
 Literature review
 Online survey
 Conducted in February 2011
 Convenience sample of agencies known to use social media
 34 agencies responded (90% response rate)
 Six follow-up cases
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

5. Survey respondents
o 18 US states
o District of Columbia
o 5 Canadian provinces
Case examples
o Bay Area Rapid
Transit (CA)
o Dallas Area Rapid
Transit (TX)
o Lehigh and
Northampton
Transportation
Authority (PA)
o Metropolitan
Transportation
Authority (NY)
o Mountain Line (WV)
Respondents and case example
o TransLink (BC) locations
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

6. Survey: How transit agencies use
social media
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

7. Item Twitter Facebook Blog YouTube LinkedIn
Most matched
platform to type Agency news 86% 80% 37% 23% 3%
of information
Service alerts (real-
time) 77% 49% 9% 3% 0%
75%-100%
Contests and
promotions 69% 77% 23% 17% 0%
50%-74%
Meeting and event
notices 66% 71% 31% 3% 3%
25%-49%
Service info (static) 63% 69% 29% 20% 9%
0%-24%
Press releases and
statements 63% 60% 23% 9% 3%
Multiple responses
allowed.
Other news 57% 63% 31% 14% 3%
Responses Feature stories 31% 57% 40% 29% 0%
expressed as
percentage of total Job listings 20% 23% 3% 0% 14%
responding agencies
Public hearing
(N=35). comments 11% 26% 20% 9% 0%
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

8. Communicate with riders 4.0
3.5
Agency goals 3.8
Improve customer satisfaction
for using 2.9
social media: Improve agency image
3.1
3.7
Importance v. Reach potential riders 3.6
effectiveness 2.7
3.5
Strengthen community support
2.8
Distribute real-time service information 3.5 Importance
3.2
Effectiveness
Distribute general information (static) 3.3
3.3
3.3
Increase ridership
2.4
Obtain feedback on projects 3.2
2.9
Compare average 2.6
Save money
ratings of 3.0
importance of goals 1.9
Recruit and keep staff
and effectiveness in 2.2
meeting goals. 0 1 2 3 4
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

9. Item Twitter Facebook Blog YouTube LinkedIn
Target
markets for Everyday riders
91% 85% 52% 33% 3%
social media
Young adults
75%-100% 85% 88% 48% 36% 3%
Students
50%-74% 79% 88% 45% 27% 3%
25%-49% External stakeholders
67% 79% 48% 39% 9%
0%-24%
Minorities
67% 64% 30% 30% 3%
Low- income
Multiple responses communities 64% 64% 33% 27% 3%
allowed.
Seniors / Older
Responses Americans 61% 61% 33% 36% 3%
expressed as People with
percentage of total disabilities 61% 58% 33% 30% 3%
responding agencies
(N=33). Agency employees
24% 45% 21% 18% 12%
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

10. Effectiveness Everyday riders 3.3
in reaching
Students 3.2
target markets
Young adults 3.2
External stakeholders 3.0
Agency employees 2.9
Minorities 2.7
Average rating by
People with disabilities 2.6
effectiveness (1-4),
where 1=”Not
effective at all” and Low-income communities 2.5
4=”Very effective.”
N/A responses were Seniors / Older Americans 2.2
excluded
0 1 2 3 4
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

11. Common barriers and obstacles
to using social media
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

12. No staff available 2.8
Barriers to
Open to criticism 2.7
using social
Takes too much time 2.3
media
Riders don't have tech 2.2
Prefer traditional approach 2.1
People with disabilities can't access 2.1
Requires IT support 2.0
Managers don't see benefits 2.0
User privacy 1.9
Average rating by Can't archive posts 1.8
importance (1-4),
where 1= “Not Staff will waste time 1.8
important at all” Cybersecurity 1.7
and 4=“Very
Seniors don't use 1.7
important.”
Minorities don't use 1.6
N/A responses were
excluded. 0 1 2 3
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

13.  “We don’t have the resources to
Three top
concerns run a social media campaign.”
 “We won’t be able to control the
conversation.”
 “Our riders don’t use social
media.”
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

14. “We don’t have the resources.”
Agency staff
investment in Social media
is free…like
social media a puppy.
81+ hours
41-80 hours
Large Urban
Small
21-40 hours
Hours per month by Urban/Rural
agency size.
Large urban N = 22 1-20 hours
Small urban/Rural
N=7 0% 20% 40% 60%
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

15. Limit hours for live
responses
Use automated tools to
manage posts
 Write once – post
everywhere
 Schedule updates
Delegate responsibilities
How agencies manage resources
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

16. “We won’t be able to control the conversation”
You won’t. Social media
is not for
It’s appropriate to manage control
freaks.
illegal or offensive behavior, but…
Engaging your critics can defuse a tense situation.
Thick-skinned agencies can use social media to learn
about their riders and their service.
And people are talking about you anyway. You might as
well join the conversation.
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

17. “Our riders don’t use social media.”
Think
again…They Half of U.S. adults now use
probably do.
social media.
About half of U.S. social
networkers are under 35. About 58 million Americans
access social networks several
times a day.
Social networking use shows little
variation by income, race, ethnicity,
education, or location.
One in four Twitter users is
45 or older.
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

18. 25%
Percent of 22%
Americans
20%
who use social 18%
networking
sites several 15%
15%
times a day,
2008-2012
10%
7%
5%
5%
0%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

19. 2009 2010 2011 2012
Percent of 90%
people with a
80%
profile on a
social 70%
networking
60%
site by age
group, 50%
2009-2012
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

20. US Population Social Networkers
Age 35%
distribution of
social
32%
30%
31%
networkers
compared to 25%
U.S.
population, 20%
21%
20%
2012
17%
17%
15%
16%
16%
15%
15%
10%
5%
0%
12-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

21. Lessons learned
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

22. What advice did practitioners offer?
 Keep social media in perspective
 Consider the organizational impacts
 Find the right voice
 Listen, listen, listen
 Have fun
 Just get started
 And keep moving
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

23. Where are we now?
 Widespread adoption of social media
 New social networks since synthesis research
 Pinterest
 Google+
 Storify
 Transition from pushing out information to two-way
conversations
 More interest in policies, protocols, and metrics
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013

24. Contact me
Susan Bregman
Oak Square Resources , LLC
www.oaksquareresources.com
www.thetransitwire.com
@TheTransitWire
Oak Square Resources, LLC 13 January 2013