AGENCY TESTIMONY
Expansion of discount programs and community outreach efforts
0:13:43
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4 min
NYC Ferry has implemented and expanded discount programs to improve accessibility and equity, with a focus on seniors, people with disabilities, low-income residents, and students. The agency has also developed robust community outreach strategies to engage diverse communities.
- Nearly 18,000 New Yorkers have enrolled in the expanded discount program
- A new student discount program for high school students was launched, with 535 students registered so far
- NYC Ferry conducted extensive community outreach, engaging over 19,000 New Yorkers through various events and activities
James Wong
0:13:43
NYC Ferry is is pleased to now provide a brief update on the plan's implementation to date.
0:13:50
In the 2 years since the NYC Ferry forward plan was announced, the program has successfully introduced and expanded the discount program to make NYC Ferry more accessible to New Yorkers.
0:13:59
The NYC Ferry discount program offers reduced fare rides for seniors and people with disabilities.
0:14:05
Additionally, any rider that participates in farefares NYC, a program supporting low income residents, is also eligible for the NYC Ferry discount program.
0:14:13
Since the program's expansion in 2022, nearly 18,000 New Yorkers have enrolled, and we've seen a 600% increase in the use of discounted tickets since we introduced the single trip discount option.
0:14:25
Our fair analysis has shown that lowering the upfront costs of participating in the discount program and introducing a 10 trip pack has led to increased trip frequency among our returning customers, including minority and discount riders.
0:14:38
For The student discount program has been a critical component of our equity and accessibility efforts and expanded discount program.
0:14:46
Before I go any further, I want to take this opportunity to public thank you, Chair of Finance, for your leadership and commitment to NYC Fair.
0:14:53
We greatly appreciate your collaboration on a variety of issues, most notably expanding NYC Ferry's discount program to include New York City's high school students.
0:15:02
We are excited about this program and have been promoting this new affordable weekday commuting options to high school living or going to school near the New York City Waterfront.
0:15:11
Since enrollment in the program opens on August 1 2024, NYC Ferriers worked diligently to make students and their families aware of the program.
0:15:19
To date, 535 students have registered for the program, and over 400 student discount tickets have been purchased since the program went live just last week.
0:15:27
We have implemented an extensive engagement strategy to boost participation.
0:15:31
Just last week, NYC Ferry was pleased to join Chair of IAS and her team and New York City High Schoolers at the Sound View Landing for an NYC ferry student discount launch event.
0:15:41
We appreciate the count we appreciate council's enthusiasm and support and look forward to enrolling students for whom the ferry is a convenient means of transportation to and from school.
0:15:51
Additionally, to advance this effort, in the month of August alone, NYC Ferry held 11 in person tabling events about the student discount program across New York, including our council member Rivera's office, libraries, and CVO back to school events.
0:16:05
Are happy to partner with the council on future events and activities to help spread the word to our young constituents and their families.
0:16:12
These events are in addition to NYC Ferry canvassing around our landings to provide information to local communities about the Ferry system.
0:16:19
In August, NYC Ferry Canvas in 15 Neighborhoods, sharing information on the discount program.
0:16:24
These efforts have been bolstered by our promotion of the program across NYC Ferry's social media channels.
0:16:30
There are nearly 50 public private and charter schools within a half mile of an C Ferry Landing, and we've begun outreach for tabling and presentation opportunities to reach eligible students.
0:16:40
To further these efforts, we have worked collaboratively with our colleagues at the Department of Education to reach students and families.
0:16:46
We've ensured that each parents of an eligible student received a banner message in their New York City Schools account portal, a notifying them of their child's eligibility for the program.
0:16:56
We posted flyers on how to apply for the program in 10 different languages on the DOE webpage, and pushed out an email blast on the program to all New York City high school parents.
0:17:05
As the school year begins, we look forward to increased engagement with high schools, local community education councils, and school based parents' organizations.
0:17:12
And we'll continue exploring additional avenues of engagement to promote this student discount program.
0:17:18
To expand our our ridership base to be more racially and economically diverse, near NYC Ferry has developed a robust community outreach campaign.
0:17:26
In the last year, NYC Ferry's community outreach teams engaged over 19,000 New Yorkers throughout 100 canvassing sessions, 20 career fairs, and almost 200 presentations, sponsorships, and tabling events.
0:17:39
As part of our new operating agreement with Hornblower, NYC Ferry now has a full time employee solely dedicated to NICE Outreach, including meetings with tenants associations and residents, promoting NYC Ferry at family days and other NICE related events.
0:17:52
Canvassing at and near developments promoting NYC Ferry as a service, and as a career opportunity, and volunteering with Tenet Associations And Related Organizations.
0:18:03
To reduce impediments for New Yorkers looking to take their bicycles on the ferry, NYC Ferry eliminated the dollar bike fee in September of 2022.
