Developing Additional Customers
Use marketing to develop new commuter trips to targeted destinations:
Sell same day return service from Rutland to Burlington/Montpelier.
Sell same day return service from WRJ south to Boston and Hartford.
As mentioned elsewhere, both Logan and Bradley airport (maybe even Mirabel and Dorval in Montreal) are prime destinations for travelers. Bradley service could begin immediately with a reliable bus or van connection from the Windsor Locks station, something that we could advertise. Rail travel saves parking fees. Lebanon airport might even catch a few transfers.
There is a "Six Flags" adventure park in Springfield that has excellent day trip potential. Perhaps the park would provide a bus or van connection. Offer a discount for same day round trips (ex. 4 tickets gets you a 5th free, kids half price). Perhaps a mid-week Kids-Travel-Free with an adult full fare.
There is a hidden shopper and teenager magnet just outside of Springfield: the Holyoke Shopping Mall. (Another reason to drop Palmer and run through Holyoke).
Day trip skiing (to Stowe) from Canada should be possible.
Day trip skiing from Albany to Okimo and Killington should also possible when Rutland gets its DMU.
Day trip skiing from Central Massachusetts could be arranged, especially if the train were run into Ludlow. Enlist the ski areas to be advertising partners.
A rail charter section might be practical.
When downtown Burlington service begins - rename
“Essex Junction – Burlington” to “Essex Junction – Burlington Airport”
Cruise ships claim “the trip is the vacation”. Vermont has magnificent scenery that is a strong 4-season selling point.
In Canada, sell the trip plus Boston. This city has history, local tours, a science museum, and a world class POPS Orchestra.
In the U.S., sell the trip plus Montreal. This city has numerous activities plus a strong French culture.
Sell everyone Burlington! With the lake, it offers dining, numerous cruises, fishing, kayaking, biking and sailing. For longer stays, offer a sailing course. My personal (inexpensive) favorite day trip is lunch plus the 3-hour ferry ride.
Use scheduling to develop attractive connections to east-west AMTRAK service in Albany and Springfield.
AMTRAK runs the Lake Shore Limited through Springfield daily. That has service to Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago.
Could the Vermonter capture any east-west connections?
Could service up from New Haven bring in connections from Hartford or Bradley airport?
Tour operators are an important key: they must be courted. Outside the obvious skiing trips there are other opportunities:
White River can be a destination. It offers dining, sightseeing, and a local theatre. Tax-free shopping is available in near by Lebanon.
Schools take trips: take students to the foreign country up north.
Students could learn at the Montshire museum and the Raptor center.
There is a potential for bike tours all over the state. With bicycle friendly service, we could bring in day trippers for the Burlington waterfront or the Champlain islands.
Many ski locations offer summer downhill cycling.
Kayaking is a growing sport. Equipment can be rented locally at many Vermont locations.
Two way co-operation with Massachusetts and Connecticut is essential. AMTRAK/VTrans can provide their citizens a convenient transportation service, but they need to support these efforts:
Connecticut needs to provide access to Bradley Airport. Their own future plans also include this access. You might even start with just a bus from the Windsor Locks shuttle train stop if more frequent train service were available.
Massachusetts needs to fix up the tracks from Springfield through Holyoke and Greenfield. This would reduce run times by over 30 minutes. Enlist AMTRAK for some leverage.
03/29/2007 00:16