1. “Telling Your Story” – Outreach and Communication for Travel Training Providers ATI Annual Conference, Boston Presented by Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center and NJTIP @ Rutgers August 14, 2015

2. Presenters Karen Alexander - Managing Director Nieves G. Pimienta - Bi-Lingual Travel Instructor Andrea Lubin - Senior Research Manager Louis Hoffman - Program Manager

3. Purpose Understand How our Program Stories Get Shared and Amplified…

4. Agenda  Community & Amplification  Telling Meaningful Stories  Using Data Strategically  Breakout Session  Tools and Tips

5. Our Community Program Participants/Graduates and Families Community Based-Agency Partners Schools Transit Agency Funders/Supporters Committees & Groups Professionals Press/Internet Other Transit Riders

6. Amplifying “If I tell two friends, and they tell two friends…” Reputation Recommendations Referrals and Risk

7. Recipe for a Good Story Meaningful Characters Theory of Change Hearts and Minds

8. Agencies, organizations (middlemen ) Project criteria, Agency’s mission Target(s) Naturally occurring groups (lifestyle)

9. Finding the middlemen Agencies/organizations Events Naturally occurring groups Partners Funders Be daring Stay connected

10. Make it real with testimonials! Search, research, request feedback Articles Narratives Thank you notes Pictures with narratives, etc.

12. Marjorie Payen You Tube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2WMULjcWJY

13. NJTIP Stories

14. Why Evaluate in General? Continuing feedback Smart program decisions Share information with stakeholders: funders, customers, etc. We are all evaluators!

15. Measuring the Benefits of Travel Instruction Improved access Quality of life Decreased isolation New opportunities Increased independence Improved confidence "Chauffeur retirement" Modal switch Other… DOCUMENT & DEMONSTRATE Travel Instruction BENEFITS

16. Travel Instructors Nationwide are Evaluating – You Can Too! RTA Chicago (IL) Riverside Transit (CA) Palm Tran (FL) King County Metro (WA) WMATA (DC) RideWise (OR) Pierce Transit (WA) Paratransit, Inc. (CA) Via Easy Rider (CO)

17. Who Benefits from Travel Instruction Evaluation? Customers Staff Funders The travel training community worldwide!

18. NJTIP’s ‘TIP SMART’ Project: Evaluating Program Success Overwhelming participant satisfaction Perception changes Skill & knowledge gain Post training outcomes Additional NJTIP support

19. Let's Breakout - Winning Hearts and Minds Group 1 - Hearts How do you tell stories and to who? Group 2 - Minds What data and information do you collect?

20. What did we learn from each other?

21. From Middlemen to Ambassadors Brevity WIIFM Repetition “Leave behinds” Displays Responsiveness Resources: Ask to be listed

22. Final Thoughts “ There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.” - J.K. Rowling

23. For More Information NJTIP @ Rutgers Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 33 Livingston Avenue 848-932-4499 njtip.rutgers.edu njtip_info@njtip.rutgers.edu http://www.facebook.com/VTCrutgers