The Butler Transit Authority on Tuesday approved a $40,000 marketing and communications plan aimed at increasing ridership.

Board members unanimously approved the plan that includes installing 125 new signs at bus stops promoting the authority's website; conducting a rider satisfaction survey; promoting ridership to senior citizens and advertising.

“I want to rebrand all bus stop signs,” said Kelly Stewart, authority public relations and Internet technology manager.

The new signs will feature the authority's logo and icon, bus route numbers, the location of the stop, the authority's website address and information on how to send a text to get real-time information about the bus.

Stewart said she wants to buy 125 signs costing $41.20 each, but she got a price for 135 signs and hardware, which is $5,562.

The signs, which Butler Township has agreed to help install, will be reflective and meet state Department of Transportation requirements, she said.

The customer survey will be conducted in late June or early July.

“It's a good way to know what our customers are thinking,” Stewart said.

She said staff will visit senior citizen centers to tell older residents about the benefits of riding buses and free transportation options available to people 65 and older.

Buying promotional products to be handed out during events and visits at a cost of $4,500, buying a bicycle rack for the bus terminal on New Castle Street for $300 and working with social service agencies and community organizations to provide transportation to their clients are parts of the plan.

Also included is promoting the authority's community relations activities such as the Stuff the Bus holiday gift collection for the Salvation Army and the authority's 30th anniversary, which will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting for the compressed natural gas fueling station at the garage and office building in Pullman Square on April 11.

The focus of the campaign is advertising. The $30,000 advertising budget includes $8,000 for billboards, $7,500 for direct mail, $5,000 for digital advertising on Pittsburgh TV station websites, $5,000 on radio ads, $3,500 on TV ads and $1,000 for newspaper ads.

The messages the authority hopes to send through the marketing campaign are that bus riders can save gas money, don't have to pay for parking, and reduce wear and tear on their vehicles. Promotion of bus amenities such as free WiFi and USB charging ports will be part of the campaign.

Board member Lance Calvert said social media should have been included in the advertising campaign.

“We're casting a big net,” said John Paul, authority executive director.

Paul said $30,000 of the cost of the marketing plan will come from the commuter service to Pittsburgh budget and $10,000 will come from the authority's operating budget.

In other business, the board authorized Paul to seek state permission to spend $11,000 on five sets of tire chains for the commuter buses. Each set costs $2,000 and delivery would cost $1,000, he said.

The chains, which are attached to the undercarriages and install automatically on the tires, are needed to keep the buses rolling on snowy roads, he said.

A bus got stuck twice during a recent winter storm, Paul said.