Frequent riders on Butler Transit Authority buses may see some changes in the coming months, thanks to a new marketing and communications plan outlined and approved at the most recent authority board meeting.

Some of the changes that riders may see under the approved plan include improved signage, increased focus on the RideBTA app and a simplification of bus schedules. It also outlined the authority’s next marketing campaign.

The plan was explained to the board by marketing and communications manager Kelly Stewart on April 22. She delivered a presentation to break down the plan piece-by-piece.

Stewart said the core goals of the plan revolve around increasing ridership, but also focus on “enhancing the customer experience for existing riders.”

The plan outlines a goal of merging the weekday and Saturday schedule to create one finalized schedule that covers all days.

Stewart said she believes this will help to reduce confusion among riders and ease training for drivers.

Details on the new schedule are still forthcoming. In the meantime, the authority will continue to operate on their current schedules.

Additionally, now that the authority’s previous fare collection system and mobile ticketing platform has been phased out, Stewart said the plan is to promote the RideBTA platform and some of its key features, such as trip planning and walking directions between stops.

“We have the app and we have the web portal. It’s so much more than just how to pay your fares,” Stewart said.

As the authority makes a push to increase platform users and decrease cash fares, it plans to offer discounted rates on passes. Discounts are expected to vary based on the promotion and the customer’s point of purchase, but will, at maximum, offer half price 25-day unlimited adult and 12-trip passes.

Another promotion to be offered is free commuter rides. Stewart said offering free rides will remove one concern prospective riders may have.

“There’s a lot of questions that go along with (commuter rides) for a new rider,” Stewart said. “Sometimes, getting people to take that leap and checking into all that information, all it takes is to try this for free. So that’s what we want to do is take that one piece of it out.”

There are also plans to address signage.

Buses in the fleet currently have mismatched signage. Some signs are factory-installed safety signs, others come from federal and state mandates and some originate from the authority’s house rules.

She offered a proposal for the authority to work with Seifert Transit Graphics, a company offering standardize signage containing international symbols and safety colors, and warnings on reflective material.

New signage would standardize and professionalize current signage, offer increased visibility and comprehension for riders, and offer references to bus rules for drivers, Stewart said.

“Our drivers, they don’t make the rules, but they have to enforce them,” Stewart said. “So, the sign is nice for them if they have someone come on, they can point to the sign and say ‘No, you can’t do that.’”

The cost to outfit the current fleet is $600 per bus. Seifert also works directly with bus manufacturers, ensuring any future BTA buses will have identical signage.

For the year, the authority’s general campaign is entitled “I choose BTA.” The campaign will highlight real examples of riders and their reason for riding.

An example provided to the board depicted a “full-time mom” and “super couponer” who rides the bus for grocery trips. Some other reasons for riding that may be used in the campaign include stress relief, cost-cutting and independence for seniors.

For advertising the campaign, Stewart mentioned new developments, such as targeted consumer analyses profiles and algorithmic advertisements, that allow the campaign to target those who may be inclined to ride.

“Before, when we would target, we would just have zip codes … now there is so much more data,” Stewart said. “We can choose podcasts for our target audience. We can choose various things based on their behaviors and interests.”

Overall, the cost of the entire marketing and communications plan is $55,700.

After Stewart finished her presentation, members of the board thanked her for her diligence and timeliness.

“Kelly does a tremendous job with marketing for BTA, along with her many other duties,” executive director John Paul said.

Now that the plan is approved, riders can expect these changes in coming months. More details on specific promotion dates and schedule changes will be provided in the future.