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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Firms getting on board
TheBus ridership promotionSOMETHING that works on the mainland is slowly starting to work on Oahu. Buyers of monthly or annual bus passes will receive discounts at a different business each month through July, beginning with the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park.
"It's designed to improve ridership," said Tom Enomoto, customer communications coordinator for Oahu Transit Services, operators of TheBus.
To the best knowledge of those interviewed by TheBuzz, this is the first time TheBus has engaged in such a program. It's done all over the mainland, said Ken Stanley, OTS vice president for operational planning and marketing.
After the 34-day bus workers strike that ended Sept. 29, ridership was 22 percent below normal, he said.
"We're now consistently running under 10 percent difference. One weekend we got as close as two percent, but it's not consistent," said Stanley.
OTS and the City and County of Honolulu issued a request for proposals to advertising agencies seeking help getting ridership to pre-strike levels, said Mei Jeanne Wagner, senior vice president of StarrPR, a division of winning bidder Starr Seigle Communications Inc.
"We're trying to get back to the point, pre-strike, and hopefully exceed (those numbers)," she said.
TV spots broke on April 12 promoting the $10 discount on general admission for water park goers 12 and older. One bus pass is good for up to $60 off through the end of April.
The discounts don't apply to youth or other discounted admission rates, said Miwa Ogletree, Hawaiian Waters sales and marketing manager.
In the first four days of the program, 10 people got the bus pass discount, she said.
Depending on weather and private parties, the park may close without prior notice so it's best to call before heading out to Kapolei, Ogletree said. Bus passes and annual passes in May will be good for 20 percent off regularly priced merchandise at Tower Records and Tower Video.
"It sounds like a no-brainer," said Hawaii Regional Manager Matthew Koenig.
Taco Bell will offer 20 percent off purchases for June passes, StarrPR's Wagner said. The July promotion is days away from being firmed up, she said.
The promotional partners take a hit in terms of the discounts offered but they lay out no cash for the advertising placed by Starr Seigle.
OTS did not yet have figures to determine whether the advertising had increased bus pass purchases.
"The way we're interested in tracking results is how many people board the buses," said Stanley. Individual fares are tracked by fare boxes and drivers push a button when a pass-user boards the bus.
"Everybody will be happy when we get back to normal (ridership) range," he said. "If you get more people on the buses the less traffic congestion there will be."
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com