AGGRESSIVE AND MEASURABLE MARKETING PROGRAMS FOR THE NATIONS LARGEST FERRY SYSTEM

The tools of private business--namely the tools of marketing--can and are helping the Washington State Ferry System to better control the numerous, disparate issues which arise in handling 16,000,000 rides annually. The WSFS, as with other land-based transit systems which serve a large commuter audience twice daily, suffers a significant operational disutility during off-peak periods each day. Increased tourism during the prime summer months can be actively stimulated through the mass and other media to compensate for the off-peak maintenance costs of a commute-designed system. However, during the other nine months of each year, there is the further, more requiring need to create other, discretionary ridership from among those residents of the operations area--Puget Sound--to help reduce the operational deficit of the USFS. Furthermore, those Washington State citizens who are not conveniently situated to Puget Sound, yet who contribute to the tax funds which underwrite the system deficit, must be considered as a critically important audience for the overall communications and marketing program for the WSFS; a primary message element which must be communicated to this latter audience is the ability of the marketing program to actually offset (or at least attempt to hold level) the operational subsidy. The paper will consist of two highly practical parts: (1) the 1977 marketing plan, and (2) the 1978-79 marketing plan, both with budgets, work timetables, research, rationales, etc. The first of these parts is a "pioneering" effort, while the second part will summarize the practical achievements and marketing plan adjustments which stem from marketplace reaction and result.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of Second International Waterborne Transportation Conference, October 5-7, 1977, New York City. Available April, 1978, approximately 750 pages, Cost: to ASCE members $15.00; non-members $30.00.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Darland, S A
• Publication Date: 1977

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ferries; Maintenance management; Marine transit; Marketing; Operating costs; Passenger transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Maintenance costs
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170278
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Civil Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 1981 12:00AM