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AC TRANSIT DISTRICT Board of Directors Executive Summary GM Memo No. 08-199 Meeting Date: August 6, 2008 Committees:...

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AC TRANSIT DISTRICT Board of Directors Executive Summary

GM Memo No.

08-199

Meeting Date: August 6, 2008

Committees: Planning Committee External Affairs Committee Rider Complaint Committee Board of Directors

Finance and Audit Committee Operations Committee Paratransit Committee Financing Corporation

SUBJECT: Consider Recommending Approval of the Naming of the Universal Pass (Choice Between AC Transit EasyPass and AC Transit Eco Pass) RECOMMENDED ACTION: Information Only

Briefing Item

Recommended Motion

1. External Affairs Committee: Recommend decision on GM Memo No. 08-199 2. Board of Directors: Adopt decision on GM Memo No. 08-199 Request for Same Day Board Action is contained in the content of the GM Memo. Fiscal Impact: None

Background/Discussion: Currently, AC Transit has a number of discounted pass programs for employers, schools (colleges), and residential developments. The programs fall under various names—the UC Berkeley Class Pass; the City of Berkeley Eco Pass; the UC Berkeley Bear Pass, and the TransLink for TOD pilot program. A placeholder name was created in 2006 to represent all of these program types—the Universal Pass program. Last year AC Transit staff began to standardize elements of the Universal Pass program in an effort to streamline its implementation process. Such elements included pricing, program agreement, and marketing. A key component was also the program name. As early as 2001, staff had been reviewing possible program names, including researching the names of “universal pass” programs at other transportation agencies.

BOARD ACTION:

Approved as Recommended [ ] Approved with Modification(s) [ ]

Other

[ ]

The above order was passed on: . Linda A. Nemeroff, District Secretary By

GM Memo No. 08-199 Meeting Date: August 6, 2008 Page 2 of 3 Because more AC Transit universal pass programs are slated to begin in the next few months (including the 8,000-student Peralta Colleges and the 465-employee City of Alameda programs), staff recently finalized a program name so that marketing collateral, pass program branding, and creative elements could be developed. After a series of brainstorming sessions and additional research, including input from a professional copywriter, several potential names were identified. From that short list, the AC Transit EasyPass Program name was selected. “EasyPass” was identified as the best name for the AC Transit program for several reasons: • A common complaint from infrequent riders and non-riders is that riding the bus is “too complicated,” including learning the bus-fare structure. Projecting the message that it’s actually “easy” (especially with the TransLink-based EasyPass) is a good marketing strategy. • The open-ended “EasyPass” concept gives significant leeway for branding and imaging possibilities to both the art and marketing departments. • “EasyPass” is not used by any other Bay Area transit agency, nor is it used by any of AC Transit’s current pass programs. Other names were considered but determined less desirable, including Eco Pass. Eco Pass has the following challenges: • Confusion between the VTA Eco Pass program and any AC Transit Eco Pass program, especially once VTA is on TransLink. • Using Eco Pass would not convey the District’s move to the standardized, TransLinkbased AC Transit pass program (from the magnetic strip passes currently used). AC Transit Board President Peeples expressed concern about the EasyPass name during the July 23 Board of Directors meeting, and asked that the name be discussed at the upcoming AC Transit External Affairs Committee meeting. His preference is Eco Pass, given renewed environmental consciousness and the familiarity of the term. EasyPass has already received media attention from the July 24 Peralta Colleges press conference. The name has also been introduced in materials and meetings with the cities of Alameda, Berkeley, and Albany, and well as Cushman-Wakefield developers. As such, it is critical if a name change is to be made that it occur immediately. It is staff’s recommendation that the name of the program remain the AC Transit EasyPass. Justification for Same Day Board Action. Section 5.5.4 permits, under certain circumstances, for an item considered by a Standing Committee to be considered on the same day as the action by the Standing Committee. The pertinent portions of the section require: (1) the Board President to concur that extenuating circumstances require Board consideration of the item; (2) the extenuating circumstances are communicated to the Board in writing prior to the consideration of the item; and (3) a majority of the Board concur that extenuating circumstances exist and the item requires the Board’s immediate consideration.

GM Memo No. 08-199 Meeting Date: August 6, 2008 Page 3 of 3

The extenuating circumstance justifying joint consideration of this item is: This issue is time sensitive to the launch of two new pass programs as well as to the progress of pass program standardization. The Board President requested consideration of the item at the External Affairs and Board meetings on August 6, 2008. Staff recommends that a majority of the Board concur that extenuating circumstances exist and the item requires the Board’s immediate consideration. Prior Relevant Board Actions/Policies: None

Attachments: None Approved by:

Prepared by: Date Prepared:

Rick Fernandez, General Manager Jim Gleich, Deputy General Manager Jaimie Levin, Director of Alternative Fuels Policy & Marketing Victoria Wake, Marketing & Community Relations Manager Nichele Ayers, Marketing Administrator July 29, 2008