VRE 3-D Train Tour


Target Audience: Former and prospective passengers

Strategy Objective:VRE's goal is to build consumer confidence in its ability to provide a safe and healthy commute given the current health crisis. The 3-D train tour allows viewers to virtually experience their commute on a VRE train. The tour begins with a properly masked conductor meeting viewers on the platform. Viewers then step from the platform into one of VRE's rail cars, which has been cleaned using acidic electrolyzed water, a potent yet nonirritating disinfectant. Signs in the vestibule, indicating that facial coverings are required on the train, instantly greet viewers. Moving through the lower level of the rail car, viewers will note that only window seats in every other row are available for passengers. On the upper level, where seating is primarily in a single row, every other seat is open.

Situation Challenge: As ridership plummeted from 355,000 in February to 197,000 in March before bottoming out at 10,000 in April, VRE cut service and began implementing measures to protect passengers and train crews. To keep trains safe, VRE installed new health-and-safety signage, social distancing decals, and hand-sanitizer dispensers on platforms and rail cars. As businesses in the region began to ever-so-slowly reopen, VRE's challenge was to instill a level of comfort that VRE trains are a safe way to commute. The 3-D train tour is an innovative way of meeting that challenge.

Results Impact: The 3-D train tour has only been online for a short time, so few results are available. Three December posts on Facebook had a combined reach of nearly 1,500 and 60 post clicks. Four posts on Twitter garnered nearly 15,000 impressions and 130 URL clicks. Views of VRE's Google My Business listings for each of its 19 stations, which now include the 3-D train tour, are down from the previous year but still result in tens of thousands of searches monthly. This does not include impressions from message amplification efforts with elected officials and area jurisdictions.

Why Submit: VRE's 3-D train tour is a novel and inexpensive way to actively engage prospective riders, allowing them to navigate the platform and rail car. The combination of organic social media posts, message amplification from VRE partners, and Google My Business station listings entice the target audience to interact with VRE and gain a level of security in their ability to safely commute via train.