Making Boise’s Bus System Cool
In big cities, public transit is a staple, but in Boise, the bus has a perception problem. Many think it’s dirty, slow, and inconvenient — but research reveals the opposite. Riders who actually use it love it. We set out to shift perspectives and align the bus with everything that makes Boise cool. The campaign is ongoing, but results from the first 4 months are impressive.
THE CHALLENGE
Help people see the bus as a core part of Boise’s culture.
Public transportation in Boise wasn’t seen as a viable option. Residents viewed the bus as dirty, empty, and irrelevant to their lives — a far cry from the truth. While Boiseans rode public transit in other cities, they avoided it at home. Our task? Help them see the bus as a core part of Boise’s culture and a viable option for getting around. The ultimate goal? Get people to give it a try.
THE SOLUTION
Make the bus undeniably cool.
The solution was simple: Make the bus undeniably cool. We infused VRT into Boise’s vibrant culture — from music and rollerskating to the diverse, dynamic people who make the city thrive. The campaign put it all in motion. Literally. Nothing in this campaign is still: people dance, skate, ride, roll, and run through the city — and VRT is with them every step of the way.
THE RESULTS
Boise is getting on board.
The campaign is ongoing, but early indicators are promising. In the first 4 months, it achieved significant results: over 13 million estimated impressions, a 103% increase in downloads of VRT’s primary app Umo Mobility, a 53% increase in web traffic to VRT’s new riders page, and over 5% average monthly growth in ridership.1 It’s clear the movement is taking hold. By aligning with Boise’s culture, we’ve built a creative platform with staying power, setting the stage for sustained growth in public transit adoption.
That’s not all
More Success Stories
Valley Regional Transit Electrifying a public transit system
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Learn More1 Umo Mobility App downloads increased by 103% when comparing the first 4 months of the campaign (Jul–Oct 2024) to previous 4 months (Mar–Jun 2024).
Visits to valleyregionaltransit.org/how-to-ride increased by 53% when comparing the first 4 months of the campaign (Jul–Oct 2024) to the previous 4 months (Mar–Jun 2024).
Over 5% ridership growth based on the first 4 months of the campaign (Jul–Oct 2024) compared to the same 4-month period in 2023.