2.7 Service and Operations Plans

For its first implementation of a new brand of express service, RTC chose to overlay an existing local bus line (113), making only small changes in the route in order to reduce travel time, particularly in the portion closer to the Downtown Transportation Center. While MAX and 113 operate along the same basic route, they do not have common stops; thus it is not possible to wait for the first of the two that arrives.

MAX and Route 113 are scheduled independently, not with a joint headway. Prior to initiation of MAX, RTC operated Route 113 on 15 minutes headways from 5 am to 7 pm and with 30 minutes service from 7 pm to 5 am. After MAX started and riders began to switch services, RTC adjusted the 113 schedule to 30-minute headways all day.

As with other CAT service, Route 113 trips are scheduled to depart at specific clock times. MAX, on the other hand, is designed to operate on a headway-based schedule. Vehicles begin the trip at a set interval (the headway) after the start of the previous trip, without reference to a scheduled clock time. Service is frequent enough such that passengers are not expected to schedule their arrivals at bus stops. Therefore maintaining regular intervals between buses is the best way to reduce waiting time. MAX initially operated on 15-minute headways throughout its span of service (5 am to 10 pm) and as demand increased, the headways were reduced to 12 minutes before 7 pm.

2.8 Branding and Marketing

RTC incorporated both branding and marketing techniques to improve customer satisfaction and increase and retain ridership on the MAX service. Branding efforts concentrated on shaping and defining the product so that the customer would identify the product as a unique service with distinct characteristics. In the case of MAX, RTC set out to brand it as rapid transit service. Accordingly, the vehicles, stations, operating characteristics and internal vehicle comfort were designed to reflect rapid transit-type service. Marketing strategies, on the other hand, focused on communicating the distinct elements of the service to the general public and encouraging them to use it.

Branding

RTC viewed the branding of MAX as an essential step in the process of designing, developing and delivering a successful BRT product. The objectives of the exercise were to convey the MAX image as high quality, rapid transit service distinct from regular CAT Service. Accordingly, RTC gave the service an independent name with no connection to CAT and designed all aspects of the service to convey their targeted values. The vehicle was chosen specifically to reflect rapid transit characteristics and thus looks like a rapid transit vehicle with a sleek exterior, multiple doors openings, low-floor, automated passenger information and seating pattern more similar to a train than bus. Bus stops are referred to as “stations” and were likewise designed to be consistent with rapid transit characteristics with level boardings, passenger seating and lighting. The headway based operating plan and off-board fare collection system are also elements of the MAX brand and are more typical of rapid transit than regular bus service.

The branding of the MAX service has largely been successful. Members of the general public and community leaders both view the service as a distinct, higher quality and more desirable service as compared with regular transit service. Evidence of this is seen both from customer survey results and in frequent requests made to RTC specifically for more MAX service. RTC intends to retain the MAX brand as it expands BRT service to other parts of the region. In addition, RTC has since created another new brand of service, namely the “Deuce” a double-decker bus that provides service to the major casinos along the Las Vegas Strip.

As mentioned, marketing is a distinct strategy from branding. In some cases, however, RTC employed strategies that branded the service, and at the same time, increased public awareness for the new service. The main example of these strategies is the naming contest that RTC initiated for their BRT service in July 2001. The contest was publicized in RTC newsletters, television as well as general media. RTC received more than 3,000 suggestions and awarded the winning entry $500.

Marketing

When the key elements of the brand were defined, RTC initiated a public outreach campaign to increase awareness and knowledge of the new BRT service. RTC maintains an on-going contract with an advertising agency, but also carried out a significant portion of the marketing of the MAX service in-house. RTC estimates using one full time employee for the course of a year to carry out all activities related to the launching of MAX service.

RTC launched the MAX service on a variety of media, including the RTC website, quarterly newsletter and bi-monthly television show, both titled “On the Move.” The agency also advertised MAX through a series of community outreach plans. The primary goals of these plans were to “(1) educate the community and youth along Las Vegas Boulevard North about MAX, its services, facilities and impact on air quality and traffic congestion (2) educate affected businesses about the project, milestones and activities that will affect them directly and (3) as a secondary, more long-term goal, this effort is also meant to educate individuals to future options, specifically to bring awareness about MAX as their commute choice.” Other public outreach activities consisted of paid advertising; employer, youth, community, association, and government outreach, and a separate, website dedicated to MAX.