Foothill Transit Class Pass Campaign to Increase Student Ridership

Target Audience: The Foothill Transit Class Pass campaign targeted college students who live on or near campus or commute to the University of La Verne, The Claremont Colleges, Cal Poly Pomona, and Azusa Pacific University.

Strategy Objective:Campaign goals were to promote Class Pass and increase pass registration and student ridership. Ads featured local students from Cal Poly to show how they are free to do whatever they want with their free rides. Materials were created for each of the 4 colleges including brochures, social posts, flyers, and other campus signage. Paid digital media was strategically aligned with the start of the fall semester and considered orientation dates, student behaviors, and historical sign-up spikes to craft the 6-week campaign from 8/15 to 9/26. This short time frame allowed us to leverage strategic insights to increase effectiveness and maximize budget. Static and video assets ran across targeted Meta ads, sponsored Reddit posts, and Google Ads, along with organic/boosted Facebook/Instagram posts.

Situation Challenge: Foothill Transit partners with San Gabriel and Pomona Valley colleges to provide students with free transit passes through Foothill Transit's Class Pass program. Class Pass is a free bus pass that gives current students unlimited rides on Foothill Transit Local Lines to go anywhere in the service area. Their tailored college pass initiatives improve mobility for students and the local community with convenient and economical public transportation, contributing to savings and environmental sustainability. Foothill Transit wanted to increase enrolled student awareness of this program and promote Class Pass as the best way for students to travel between campus, home, work, entertainment, and more.

Results Impact: This digital campaign delivered strong results with over 2.2 million impressions across platforms, and a .80% click-through rate, garnering over 18 thousand link clicks. 2024 student ridership increased by 14% in August and 6% in October compared to the same months in 2023.

Why Submit: This Foothill Transit Class Pass campaign deserves recognition because it succeeded in increasing student ridership and awareness of the Class Pass program. By strategically planning the campaign timing and using local students in the campaign, Foothill Transit fostered a sense of community with the schools, strengthening their partnership and trust as an affordable, reliable, and sustainable transportation option.