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Course Description

Many of the transportation-related problems facing society today could be addressed by seemingly simple changes in behavior.  Deaths and injuries could be reduced if more people wore seat belts or stopped texting while driving.  Congestion would decline if more people chose to share a ride or shifted the time of their trip.  The fact is that changing behavior requires a better understanding of how people change and also how to help people in their efforts to change. We have developed this Social Marketing in Transportation certificate to help you learn how to develop more effective, efficient, and sustainable solutions to the problems facing our communities.

Social marketing is not the same as social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).  Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing, along with other behavior change concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioral actions for a social purpose.  This certificate can help transportation professionals who are looking to reduce congestion and improve access by increasing carpooling and transit ridership, or seeking to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities. This certificate was developed jointly by the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research and the Florida Prevention Research Center/Center for Social Marketing to blend theories of change, research, and case studies to help transportation professionals develop social marketing programs to address some of society’s most challenging transportation behavior-related problems. This certificate will also provide you with a people-centered social marketing plan that relies on insight and understanding, as much as on data for the creativity, design, and management of programs that strive for changes for good.

Course Format

• • A series of  60-minute highly interactive, instructor-led virtual training modules taught once a week from September to March. View course modules and schedule.

• • Sessions are recorded for participants unable to make a class due to scheduling conflicts.

• • Space is limited.  Florida residents are given priority.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. 1. Define social marketing and identify appropriate uses of social marketing in transportation;

1. 1. Conduct a situational analysis to define the problems and identify the behaviors;

1. 1. Select a priority group for changing behavior and apply formative research techniques to identify internal and external determinants that influence their behaviors;

1. 1. Develop product, pricing, placement and promotional strategies; and

1. 1. Develop a social marketing plan, in small teams, to address a transportation problem facing your community.

Cost

• • Free for Florida residents

• • $395 for Non-Florida residents

• • $340 for current members of Best Workplaces for Commuters

Who Should Participate

The Social Marketing in Transportation Certificate program is offered to transportation professionals or others who wish to develop the skills needed to develop, implement, and evaluate social marketing programs. The certificate program emphasizes the translation of theory and knowledge into evidence-based practice. The certificate program was developed for the following groups:  transportation demand management and transit professionals who are employed in local, state, or federal agencies who have education and experience in TDM: public/ community traffic safety  professionals responsible for safety awareness and educational campaigns; and other individuals who may be interested in completing the certificate program.

What Past Participants Say About the Course

“This workshop provided me with the knowledge and tools to create meaningful, research-based transportation campaigns. This was a fast-paced, hand-on workshop with a great group of motivated professionals and I highly recommend it!”  (Portland, OR)

“I loved the hands-on approach to this course. I learned so much and can’t wait to apply these new tools and knowledge to my work.”  (San Leandro, CA)

“I can’t believe I waited so long to take this course. We spend so much of our time trying to come up with better ways to market our programs aimed at changing behaviors for commuting and other travel and so often fail to produce meaningful change. Learning how to and effectively applying social marketing in these efforts gives us a far better chance of achieving the desired outcomes.”   (Houston, TX)

“I found the Social Marketing class as informative, educational, but most importantly, fun. Very active and hands-on, and just presentation to convey information. My focus of outreach is much more micro than the intent of Social Marketing but it provides principles which will be very helpful as construction on I-66 intensifies.”  (Fairfax, VA)

“The social marketing class is a great deep-dive into marketing theory and gets you thinking differently. You will step out of your comfort zone, think outside the box, and return to your office with new ideas and a fresh perspective on TDM marketing. The bonus is meeting and networking with other TDM professionals.” (Atlanta, GA)

“This was a fantastic course! The combination of content and application was a perfect balance. We worked hard, but we had so much fun doing it. The take-aways and practical skills developed in this class will be things that I incorporate into my professional work for years to come.” (Richmond, VA)

About Us

The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at USF brings a solid national reputation built upon over 30 years of commitment to quality research, effective training and responsive technical assistance. For example, the Commuter Choice Certificate program is a nationally recognized program for transportation demand management training.  The TRANSP-TDM listserv founded by CUTR reaches over 2,000 TDM professionals.

Instructors

Philip L. Winters, TDM-CP

• • Director, Transportation Demand Management Program, CUTR

• • Principal Investigator and Lead Instructor, Commuter Choice Certificate Program

Contact Instructor: winters@usf.edu

Mahmooda Khaliq Pasha, PhD, MHS, CPH

• • Associate Professor, University of South Florida, College of Public Health

• • Research Associate, University of South Florida, Center for Urban Transportation Research

• • Associate Director, WHO Collaborating Center on Social Marketing and Social Change at University of South Florida

Contact Instructor: mpasha@usf.edu

Julie M. Bond. MPA

• • Senior Research Associate, CUTR

• • Instructor, Commuter Choice Certificate Program

• • Program Manager, Best Workplaces for Commuters

• • Program Manager, Walkwise and Tampa BayCycle

Contact Instructor: jmbond@usf.edu

Florida residents and current Commuter Choice Certificate participants receive priority.

For more information about the certificate program, contact: Phil Winters at (813) 974-9811 and winters@usf.edu