During our first meeting I was assigned to brainstorm marketing strategies.  I came up with the following: to get the parents involved, advertise with flyers, get teachers to carpool, link with smart phone app, present idea to classes so that people can link class schedules, make it easy to sign up and have event sign up for weekend activities.  My next assignment was to come up with a slogan for the actual flyers and for the website. My slogan: Sometimes a little company is better, locomote together.  We then compiled everyone’s ideas and made a survey.  Then we each stood outside the library and asked students and faculty what images/slogans they liked.  They were more attracted to the slogans that implied they would save money.  After the research was done, I was assigned to make the two flyers which we showed in the presentation.  We had one final meeting the night before the presentation where we put everything together and discussed what everyone would talk about.  We have our event in early January to present rideshare!

Kyle and I were able to meet with Jan Brewton, Director of Parking Services at the College of Charleston, and subsequently Vonie Gilreath, Mobility Manager of BCDCOG on the respective dates of November 4th and 18th. Both discussions have been very helpful in our implementation of a RideShare program here at CofC. Ms. Brewton and Ms. Gilreath showed genuine excitement about our aspirations and were able to giveus valuable insights on both the possibilities and limitations.

Jan Brewton explained sources of funding as well as the process of surveying students and collecting data regarding transportation at the collegiate scale, while Vonie Gilreath provided us with information dealing with the bureaucratic process at the city and regional scale as well as the website structure of Trident Rideshare. We hope to continue our group’s relationship with these two experienced and knowledgeable professionals in our goal of making transportation more sustainable here at College of Charleston.