01029346

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/1971-19

http://scholar.google.com...Cain&publication_year=2006

This study was designed to investigate teenagers’ perceptions of public transit within the context of the wider issue of teenage mobility. Results showed a number of significant restrictions on teenage mobility in the United States, including driving age regulations, travel costs, parental safety concerns, and low-density development patterns that limit walking and cycling. As such, teenagers are an obvious market segment for transit agencies to target. Teenager–parent pairs were recruited to participate in a series of eight focus group sessions conducted in Tampa and Miami, Florida. Qualitative analyses of these sessions revealed a set of five mobility themes that play a major role in determining teenagers’ mode choice decisions: safety, cost, access–availability, reliability, and image. In many situations, teenagers viewed private vehicles as having distinct advantages over transit. However, some advantages associated with transit were identified, including independent mobility, travel cost, and travel safety. Different marketing messages that could be used to exploit these potential advantages were developed. A survey of transit agencies across the country was conducted to assess industry experience with promoting transit to teenagers. This survey showed that three different program types—educational programs, reduced fares, and transit passes—are used to promote transit to teenagers. Major marketing challenges included addressing the negative social image associated with transit, gaining the cooperation of school systems and parents, and retaining program budgets. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations for transit agencies interested in implementing, or improving, programs that target teenage riders.

01037990

English

pp 140-148

2006

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

0309099803

Print

Figures (3) ; References (12) ; Tables (1)

Accessibility; Adolescents; Decision making; Discount fares; Education; Focus groups; Marketing; Mobility; Mode choice; Public transit; Safety; Surveys; Transit passes; Travel costs

Service reliability

Miami (Florida); Tampa (Florida); United States

Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Mar 3 2006 11:06AM

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