Iowa Public Transit Association’s “Iowa’s Public Transit Gets You There” campaign is a messaging platform developed to communicate the safety, cleanliness, and continued reliability of public transportation in Iowa. The campaign shows audiences that during the COVID-19 pandemic, public transportation in Iowa has worked on the frontlines to not only physically get you from one place to another; it adapted to the new and emerging health guidelines and safety protocols that passengers and transit operators now follow.

The campaign is based on IPTA’s market research, which showed that key stakeholders’ and passengers’ perceptions of public transit were influenced by three core commitments: (1) following social distancing guidelines and requiring masks or other face coverings for passengers and operators, (2) frequent cleaning and sanitizing of vehicles, and (3) dependability to get you to the essential services, healthcare appointments, and jobs you rely on. Riders and non-riders alike continue to value public transportation—despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic—because it gets people to essential services such as jobs and healthcare. They also count on transit systems to enforce safety protocols and follow public health guidelines to ensure a safe and healthy trip. 

These core commitments guide passengers to feel heard, safe, and more likely to continue riding, reinstate ridership, or begin riding public transportation. This campaign was designed to highlight the safety and health protocols of public transportation and to show that Iowa’s public transit has always been there. It demonstrates that public transportation gets you to essential services and destinations.