Since creating In Motion in 2004, King County Metro Transit has applied a growing toolkit of community-based social marketing techniques to persuade nearly 20,000 Seattle-area travelers to drive less. In Motion employs motivational messaging, commitments, rewards, engaging materials and norm appeals tailored to target communities. Participants pledge to shift two drive-alone trips per week to transit, ridesharing, biking or walking. The program has been called into action during or in anticipation of major construction, transit restructures or new tolls. Since it began, the program has engaged 20,000 Seattle-area travellers. Each participant has reduced drive alone travel by almost one car tip per week, dropping to about half a car trip per week 18 months after a campaign.

Designated a Landmark case study in 2015. Selected comments from the peer-selection panel: Innovative use of transit cards to directly measure and monitor behavior change … an excellent evaluation processes, including longer-term impacts … demonstrates the utility of complementing major construction projects with social marketing … considers all income levels, which many of these programs don’t do. … a holistic approach involving local leaders, customization by neighborhood, and a wide range of incentives and messaging channels.

Presented by: Sunny Knott, King County, (WA, USA)

Time: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 from 11am to 12 noon, EcoCentre Boardroom, 3rd Floor, 303 Portage Ave.