PSTA BRT Funding Announcement Event
Target Audience: The target audience for this entry was constituents of Pinellas County.
Strategy Objective:The strategy of this event was to ensure important stakeholders in the Bus Rapid Transit Line were present at the this press event. PSTA was quick in confirming speakers and getting press notified of the event.
Situation Challenge: PSTA has been working towards a Bus Rapid Transit Line for almost a decade. The last piece of funding for $21.8 million was granted by the FTA on May 29th, 2020, allowing for PSTA to move forward with their plans of constructing the BRT. PSTA staff was notified about the funding through an evening tweet from President Trump, and had to quickly turn around a press event the next morning to control the narrative of the funding allocation.
Results Impact: This event piqued the interest of the Tampa Bay Area. Constituents who were unfamiliar with the project were suddenly curious about why PSTA received such a sizeable grant. Media coverage of the event resulted in a reach of 18.6 million. Social Media coverage on Facebook and Twitter had 17 thousand impressions.
Why Submit: This event was submitted because it highlighted how much capital it takes to provide the community in Pinellas County the transportation service it is demanding. The new BRT Project will cost a total of $43.93 million, with funding coming from Federal, State, and Local grants.