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• Re: Looking for research into merchandise to change travel behaviour

  2008-02-19 05:41:33 UTC

  Hi all,
  
  Having coordinated a number of travel behaviour change programs, particularly in school communities, I have found that these factors are most likely to lead to sustained behaviour change. Infrastructure and end of trip facilities that encourage walking and cycling. I have always been amazed at the number of kids who start cycling to school when you build a secure bike cage. Similarly decent shower and change facilities will persuade many people to start cycling to work. Integration of travel behaviour change programs into the organisation's core business. Schools that successfully integrate travel behaviour change programs into their teaching curriculum maintain effective travel behaviour change programs long after government backing is gone. Most schools have leadership programs and are usually looking for constructive activities to engage students. These students usually end up running interclass competitions where students compete to win a monthly trophy for most kids walking, cycling, carpooling or using PT to school. This combined with simple printed certificates for special effort have proved extremely effective in reducing car use. I have personally seen schools evolve this activity to a point where well over 60% of the school uses 'active transport' modes every day. Similarly in workplaces it is important to take travel programs out of their box and integrate them into the organisation's vision. It is important to remember that communities will end up running these programs completely independently of any government funding. The more money it costs to maintain a travel behaviour change program the less likely it will endure. Another note here is that organisations must allocate some staff resource to maintaining their travel behaviour program. In schools this must be a teacher resource to ensure the educational links are maintained (usually the PE teacher). Once a program has got off the ground it doesn't take much to keep them ticking over so this job is not too demanding. Public recognition of effort. I am always amazed at what people will do to get a pat on the shoulder by the boss. For workplace programs give awards or write feature articles about individual staff members in internal publications. For school based programs, issue certificates and trophies. Make it easy for people to start. Show people how easy it is to include a bit of exercise into a busy routine by walking to a bus stop that's a bit further away or parking 500m away from their kid's school and walking the last little bit. Often these suggestions end up saving people time because of the fuss associated with trying to find a close park! As part of one workplace program we made free PT tickets available from the same desk where people picked up a company car for workplace trips. This combined with some basic timetable information led to a big reduction in people driving to regional offices close to PT. Lead from the top The CEO, manager or school principal can't expect anyone to do something they're not willing to give a go themselves. I worked with one school where the principal met kids and parents at a local park and walked to school with them every Thursday. Within three weeks this group had grown to over 80 kids + their mums and dads. Information It is important to give well packaged information that gives people practical advice on how to use sustainable transport modes. A local access guide showing PT routes, bike paths and walking tracks is a good start. other good products include stop specific timetables, and short articles on how to include walking/ cycling in a busy routine in the school /company newsletter. Incentives Incentives can be effective but you need to be careful here. Just giving incentives because someone has reached a particular milestone can be very counter productive. Just consider, many schools have populations of over 800 children. It is possible that all of these kids could reach a predefined milestone at the same time! This is potentially the same for large employers. The outcome is that these programs just cannot sustain themselves financially. Also milestone based incentives tends to create an expectation that the next reward will be better than the last. eg you walk 10 times you get a water bottle, you walk 20 times you get a pedometer, walk 30 times a movie ticket - what are you going to give next? People will stop when the goodies run out. My experience has taught me that incentives are best given for extra-special effort or randomly. eg the kid who walks to school regularly carrying their double bass deserves a reward. Kids/ employee who regularly walk/ ride to school/ work could qualify to enter a draw for a really special prize. Prize should directly encourage the behaviour you want to increase. so specially branded water bottles, t-shirts, bike jerseys, bike repair kits, bike lights & flashers badges are great. Kids also love fluorescent wrist slaps and stickers. Special note here about stickers - primarily school kids will value a good sticker just as much if not more that an expensive incentive item. The final note I will add here about travel behaviour change programs is that they need to belong to the community in which they are being delivered. Effective/sustainable programs grow from strong consultative process rather that any packaged products or activities delivered by the coordinating agency. The most effective programs involve, engage and inspire their communities. I have had many comments from school principals about the changes they have witnessed in their school following a successful travel behaviour change program. Not only are there a lot more families walking to school but also mums and (even) dads have become involved in wide range of other school activities. I hope this is useful
  
  Bernard Houston
  Community Engagement Adviser
  Redland Shire Council

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