Tuscani01
Senior Member
BRT to get distinctive branding
By: Joseph Chin
October 31, 2007 - City Hall is going to spend $500,000 to make sure the public knows the Mississauga Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is not just another bus service when it takes to the streets in 2012.
The $259-million project will see the creation of a high-efficiency transit corridor across the city that will run along Hwy. 403, Eastgate Pkwy. and Eglinton Ave. connecting Winston Churchill Blvd. in the west to Renforth Dr. in the east.
With planning underway, City of Mississauga staff says it’s necessary to incorporate the brand identity into the infrastructure design, hence the call for immediate funding.
City councillors will consider the request at today’s General Committee meeting.
“It has become evident that a successful launch of a public transit offering in major cities around the world has included effective branding strategies and marketing plans as an integral part of these projects,†said Martin Powell, the City’s commissioner of transportation and works.
Everything, from names and logos to the look of vehicles, signage, station amenities and customer information, will be distinctive, says Powell.
Over the next five years, Mississauga Transit will introduce a series of higher-order routes that have similar features to BRT, such as limited stops, higher frequencies and transit priority treatments at key intersections. Currently, these routes are being referred to as pre-BRT or BRT-lite.
When the BRT comes on stream, Mississauga Transit will provide three distinct services targeting three unique customer markets: conventional transit service, BRT-lite service and the BRT service itself.
“It will be crucial that customers be able to recognize and distinguish the differences between the three levels of service,†said Powell.
“The future success of the Mississauga BRT will also be dependent on a strategic marketing plan that builds and maintains momentum and excitement for the service over the five-year implementation phase leading to the launch of full BRT service in 2012.â€
Funding for the branding is available in the Federal Public Transit Reserve Fund.
When completed, the BRT will connect with inter-regional transit and the TTC subway, linking high-density development and employment centres across Mississauga. The project is a cooperative effort between the City, GO Transit, the Province and Ottawa. All funds are in place, except Ottawa’s share of $83 million.
Currently, Mississauga Transit provides 29 million rides annually, and officials hope to increase that by 25 per cent in the next five years. To do that, it will add 75 buses to its fleet of about 390 and increase service hours.
By: Joseph Chin
October 31, 2007 - City Hall is going to spend $500,000 to make sure the public knows the Mississauga Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is not just another bus service when it takes to the streets in 2012.
The $259-million project will see the creation of a high-efficiency transit corridor across the city that will run along Hwy. 403, Eastgate Pkwy. and Eglinton Ave. connecting Winston Churchill Blvd. in the west to Renforth Dr. in the east.
With planning underway, City of Mississauga staff says it’s necessary to incorporate the brand identity into the infrastructure design, hence the call for immediate funding.
City councillors will consider the request at today’s General Committee meeting.
“It has become evident that a successful launch of a public transit offering in major cities around the world has included effective branding strategies and marketing plans as an integral part of these projects,†said Martin Powell, the City’s commissioner of transportation and works.
Everything, from names and logos to the look of vehicles, signage, station amenities and customer information, will be distinctive, says Powell.
Over the next five years, Mississauga Transit will introduce a series of higher-order routes that have similar features to BRT, such as limited stops, higher frequencies and transit priority treatments at key intersections. Currently, these routes are being referred to as pre-BRT or BRT-lite.
When the BRT comes on stream, Mississauga Transit will provide three distinct services targeting three unique customer markets: conventional transit service, BRT-lite service and the BRT service itself.
“It will be crucial that customers be able to recognize and distinguish the differences between the three levels of service,†said Powell.
“The future success of the Mississauga BRT will also be dependent on a strategic marketing plan that builds and maintains momentum and excitement for the service over the five-year implementation phase leading to the launch of full BRT service in 2012.â€
Funding for the branding is available in the Federal Public Transit Reserve Fund.
When completed, the BRT will connect with inter-regional transit and the TTC subway, linking high-density development and employment centres across Mississauga. The project is a cooperative effort between the City, GO Transit, the Province and Ottawa. All funds are in place, except Ottawa’s share of $83 million.
Currently, Mississauga Transit provides 29 million rides annually, and officials hope to increase that by 25 per cent in the next five years. To do that, it will add 75 buses to its fleet of about 390 and increase service hours.
