The Burbank Transportation Management Organization (BTMO) has been in operation since the late 1980s and works with employers in the City of Burbank to help their employees connect with transportation options to reduce drive alone travel. Hoping to better serve the needs of a changing and growing group of local developers and employers, the BTMO Board of Directors selected Steer to operate the organization as Executive Director in November 2017.
How we helped
In the Executive Director role, Steer provides support to the Board of Directors by managing the TMO’s rideshare programs such as their vanpool subsidy program, facilitating events such as the annual Bike and Walk to Work Day celebration, and distributing relevant local transportation information through email, phone and in person to BTMO Members and their employees. Steer is also responsible for reporting annually to the City of Burbank a detailed description of employees’ travel habits.
Since the BTMO’s list of services, outreach plan or look had not evolved in years, Steer’s first eight months have been focused on updating the organization’s marketing and operations by:
- Updating the Communication Plan: The BTMO had previously distributed construction notices weekly, instructing drivers about routes to avoid. While traffic is a major concern for many Burbank commuters, the Steer team felt that merely forwarding along traffic notices would not be successful in changing behavior. Now, a summary of construction updates is included in a bi-weekly email that also highlights news relating to public transit and active transportation.
- Updating the Brand and Website: The BTMO has historically had a logo, but no type of brand identity to go along with it. Steer worked with the Board to choose a new brand identity, complete with design guidelines. The team designed a new website for the organization which is more functional and easier to use.
- Reevaluating the Annual Survey Process: The BTMO had previously worked with the City to administer an annual survey to all members that aimed to calculate trip generation numbers. That calculation did not accurately determine the number of commute trips associated with each member, and BTMO had previously received surveys from only a portion of their membership. Together, this made it almost impossible for the City of Burbank to determine a baseline or understand the success of the BTMO’s services. Steer worked with the City to adjust the calculation, simplifying it and also align it with a separate survey required annually of the region’s largest employers, encouraging more participation. This year, BTMO will be able to present an accurate report to the City, establishing a baseline which will help to develop the organization going forward.
- Establishing New Partnerships: Steer helped BTMO expand services for Members and their employees by partnering with new organizations. Notably, BTMO operated a pilot program that subsidized Waze Carpool trips for Burbank commuters, and established an event to connect commuters with free transit passes through the Go Verdugo program.
