It’s not even
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10:30 AM and I’m already excited at BarCamp because my name got pulled out of the hat for Nancy VanReece’s Social Media Strategy session. I had a lot of ideas and a buzzer to beat. Should we strategize for Transit Camp, Transit Week, dedicated funding, or the Transit App. We went with the app because there were app developers in the audience. No brainer! 
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So who do we want to target? Since all of my friends are following us on Facebook, I went with strangers. We need to reach new people who are already transit users and advocates but haven’t found a place to gather, and those who don’t ride but need to because we can’t sustain our sprawling growth.
So here are some ideas….
- QR Code on stickers at transit stops
- FourSquare set up with popular transit stops
- Develop both an iPhone and an Android platform apps because Android is on cheaper phones and would expand our universe
- Set up a social media plan and use HootSuite to schedule posts/tweets around the more popular times when people check their accounts
- Before the plan, research analytics of your social media pages to find the optimized time to post
- Retweet and reshare something at least once a day
- Create videos to share
More later. Thanks Nancy and Stacey!
News Channel 5′s report on the state of transit in Nashville. This follows yesterday’s release of the T4 America report showing that 85% of Nashville’s senior population will lack adequate access to transit by 2015.
NEW REPORT: MOST AGING BABY BOOMERS WILL FACE POOR MOBILITY OPTIONS
By 2015, 85% of seniors in the greater Nashville metropolitan area will lack adequate access to transit.
Nashville, TN – By 2015, more than 15.5 million Americans ages 65 and older will live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent, a new study shows. That number is expected to continue to grow rapidly as the baby boom generation “ages in place” in suburbs and exurbs with few mobility options for those who do not drive. In the greater Nashville region, over 86% of older adults (over 150,000 senior citizens) are expected to be without adequate access to transit by 2015.
The report, Aging in Place, Stuck without Options, ranks metro areas over similar sizes by the percentage of seniors with poor access to public transportation, now and in the coming years, and presents other data on aging and transportation. Kansas City tops the list for metros of 1-3 million, followed by Oklahoma City, Fort Worth, Nashville, and Raleigh-Durham.
“The fact that 150,000 seniors in the Nashville area and its surrounding counties lack access to transit is a serious problem,” said Dave Keiser of Transit Now Nashville. “We need to ensure that the older generation remains connected to their communities and provide the needed resources to support transportation options for older adults.”
Without access to affordable travel options, seniors age 65 and older who no longer drive make 15 percent fewer trips to the doctor, 59 percent fewer trips to shop or eat out, and 65 percent fewer trips to visit friends and family, than drivers of the same age, research shows. As the cost of owning and fuelling a vehicle rises, many older Americans who can still drive nonetheless will be looking for lower-cost options.
Gary Stewart is a senior citizen in downtown Nashville who does not own a car and relies upon public transportation.
“It is so simple for me to travel to St. Thomas to see my eye doctor, Centennial Medical Center to see my primary care physician, and Vanderbilt to attend cardiac rehab sessions three days a week. I even take a bus to the Nashville West Shopping Center monthly to get my hair cut. What could be easier?” said Gary Stewart.
For the majority of senior citizens who do not live downtown, getting to their doctors’ appointments can be more challenging. Services such as MTA’s AccessRide and the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency provide on-demand services where eligible residents can schedule trips ahead of time. From 2005 to 2010, AccessRide ridership has increased 29%, showing the growing demand for these services.
“This report from Transportation for America could not be more timely,” said Ed Cole of the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee. “Identifying and developing more transportation choices for Middle Tennesseans is a critical task being undertaken by both the public and private sectors and is driven by the knowledge that our population is growing older. As the report makes clear, an open and honest search for dedicated funding of transit options at the state, local, and federal levels is an important task.”
In addition to transit services, the Mayor’s Office is spearheading the Nashville Livability Project that looks at how the city can address its changing demographics and aging population by addressing housing, walkability of neighborhoods, and access to services such as healthcare and grocery stores and the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is working to address these issues throughout the entire metropolitan area in their long-range plan.
“Over the next decade or so, the number of Middle Tennesseans age 65 years or older will grow by 50%,” said Michael Skipper, executive director of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization – the region’s transportation policy, planning, and funding authority. “We must begin working on strategies that help seniors stay active and connected to the community by allowing them to age in place. There is a growing need for transportation options beyond the car — for seniors as well as other emerging segments of the population like young professionals. The recently adopted 2035 Regional Transportation Plan calls for a modern, robust transit service and increased support for more walkable communities. We hear from seniors that they fear becoming isolated, or too dependent on their families for basic mobility.”
“We all want to remain in our homes aswe age, but that isn’t enough. We also need to remain connected with our communities in order to live full, independent lives. To do that, we must have easy access to the doctor’s office, the grocery store, our grandchildren’s homes. Being stuck inside, looking out a window as the world goes on around us, simply is not an option,” said AARP Tennessee State Director Rebecca Kelly. “We salute Mayor Dean for recognizing the need to address this and hope the report serves as a wake-up call to federal, state and local leaders to work together to address this critical issue.”
“The baby boom generation grew up and reared their own children in communities that, for the first time in human history, were built on the assumption that everyone would be able to drive an automobile,” said John Robert Smith,president and CEO of Reconnecting America and co-chair of Transportation for America. “What happens when people in this largest generation ever, with the longest predicted lifespan ever, outlive their ability to drive for everything? That’s one of the questions we set out to answer in this report.”
To view the full report and to see the extended rankings, please click http://t4america.org/resources/SeniorsMobilityCrisis2011
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TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA(T4) is the largest, most diverse coalition working on transportation reform today. Our nation’s transportation network is based on a policy that has not been significantly updated since the 1950’s. We believe it is time for a bold new vision — transportation that guarantees our freedom to move however we choose and leads to a stronger economy, greater energy security, cleaner environment, and healthier America for all of us. We’re calling for more responsible investment of our federal tax dollars to create a safer, cleaner, smarter transportation system that works for everyone. www.t4america.org
Contact Information:
NATIONAL CONTACT FOR REPORT:
COSA BULLOCK, 202-478-6128
CBULLOCK@MRSS.COM
KYLE MOLER, 202-478-6173
KMOLER@MRSS.COM
Dave Keiser
Volunteer Board Member
Transit Now Nashville
Cel. 615.668.3728
Email: dave@transitnownashville.org
