OP-ED: Nashville Public Transit Attracts Riders through Tourism Partnerships
Creative connectivity is a powerful conductor in making great things happen. For WeGo Public Transit, linking with diverse businesses and organizations citywide is one of the ways we are attracting new riders and improving access for current riders.
This past year, we launched the Community Impact Partnership program (CIP), an initiative where we work with organizations to cross promote one another on our communication channels, so it is mutually beneficial for both parties to achieve the desired goals.
How locals can save money during staycations
Our WeGoCation initiative originated from this, offering locals a staycation to some of Nashville’s hottest attractions at a discounted rate. As part of the total experience, we wanted to showcase to locals how they can relax and ride while saving money without the added hassle of parking.
The primary objective of WeGoCation was to attract current and new riders to QuickTicket, our new digital ticketing system. The goals were to demystify riding the bus and overcome transit biases. We identified five local attractions to become CIPs for WeGoCation:
- Nashville Zoo
- National Museum of African American Music
- Frist Art Museum
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- Bavarian Bierhaus restaurant
From June 14 to Aug. 15, riders showed their QuickTicket phone app or reloadable card and received half-off admission or, in the case of the restaurant, half-off an entrée. In exchange, WeGo provided each of these partners publicity on our owned assets (i.e., bus wraps and ads on shelters and benches).
We also promoted one another through each other’s communication channels, including newsletters, social media and media.
The result was greater awareness of public transit, as riders coupled transit as part of the overall experience while enjoying the destination. They were able to avoid the hassle of navigating crowded streets or paying for parking. Larger groups appreciated being able to be accommodated comfortably and economically.
How we have grown and also connected with Uber
In addition to the launch of WeGoCation, WeGo celebrated a few other milestones for improved access. We opened the Hillsboro Transit Center, which was a collaboration between WeGo, Metro Nashville Public Schools, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Nashville Department of Transportation. We also worked with neighborhood organizations and businesses.
In order to attract riders, we launched a shop-and-hop campaign, encouraging shoppers at The Mall at Green Hills to board on routes 7 Hillsboro Pike or 17 12th Ave. South for a convenient ride downtown.
We also held a groundbreaking in November for the Dr. Ernest Rip Patton, Jr., North Nashville Transit Center, an investment in the North Nashville community that will elevate the transit experience in this historic neighborhood while honoring a local trailblazer and Freedom Rider.
Additionally, we added more WeGoLink zones, where riders can catch an Uber for $2 to their nearest bus stop. This first-mile, last-mile service links riders in neighborhoods to the nearest bus stop.
For employers seeking applicants, they can provide employees transit as a perk through the WeGo Ride program. This is also available to all schools, colleges and universities for their students and staff.
Increased daily bus ridership
Riders can download the QuickTicket™ app or get a reloadable card. Aside from easier boarding and not having to worry about exact change, riders earn free rides with fare capping. This means the cost to ride will never exceed $4 a day or $65 a month. We saw an increase of one of five riders to one in three now using QuickTicket.
Additionally in 2022, WeGo saw an average increase in ridership from 20,000 to 25,000 a day. Ridership exceeded 100 percent over pre-COVID levels on weekends and select routes, including 18 Airport; 23 Dickerson Pike; 52 Nolensville Pike; and 55 Murfreesboro Pike.
With our WeGo Ride program, we doubled in size. Lastly, for New Year’s Eve, we had 10 times more ridership on our post-midnight service, as we offered extended hours.
In 2023, we look forward to an even more impactful year through strategic outreach and partnerships as we continue to engage with and connect our diverse communities. As our city continues to grow, we evolve with the changes and look forward to engaging with our riders, business, educational and community leaders, as well as elected officials.
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Renuka Christoph is chief communications officer for WeGo Public Transit and founder of Christoph Communications, LLC, a certified DBE.
Renuka Christoph | Chief Communications Officer, WeGo Public Transit
Renuka Christoph joined WeGo as director of Marketing, Communications and Sales in April 2021 from the Music City Center where she served as the director of communications overseeing marketing, media, public relations and communications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and a master’s degree in marketing from Tennessee State University. She served as a board member for Sister Cities of Nashville, a freelance travel writer for The Tennessee Tribune and The Tennessean and launched Nations in Our Neighborhood, an initiative promoting Nashville’s ethnic food and culture.
