Building success with TMAs

In October 2013, Steer Davies Gleave assumed management of the Glendale Transportation Management Association (TMA), in Glendale, a city in Los Angeles County, California. 

While TMAs have developed throughout the United States as important localized resources for mitigating congestion and providing options to commuters, these public-private partnerships have played an especially important role in the LA area over the past couple of decades. Our experience developing successful TDM programs throughout North America and Europe make it a great fit for this type of implementation work.

The Glendale TMA, founded in 1989, was one of the first in the region – a response to the state’s recently introduced air quality regulations and infamous traffic congestion. Under the leadership of now-retired Director Brooke Geer Persón and a set of influential Board Members from companies such as Disney Imagineering, Dreamworks Studios and Nestlé, the TMA was successful in responding to the new regulations imposed on employers. They established the organization’s role as a centralized resource for commuter information and assistance, promoting transit, ridesharing, biking, walking and telework. The TMA has undoubtedly achieved some great results, but there’s still more that could be done.

Over the past decade, we have observed some general best practices from the most successful TMAs:

• Gain support from the business community – The local Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders must understand the TMA’s value and be willing to promote its services.
• Impact policy – Local policymakers are often the ones determining how safe, accessible and convenient sustainable modes such as walking, biking and transit will be.
• Stay relevant – Messaging should speak to the interests of the target audience, in a format they will use.

Our first task after taking over the TMA was to conduct a strategic planning session with the TMA’s Board of Directors. We knew it would be important to maintain and strengthen relationships with City and business leadership. We also wanted to assess the ever-changing needs of the TMA’s target audience: employees in the professional and creative sectors. We identified the need to develop a strong online presence and cohesive brand, and our talented designers responded with an updated identity: Go Glendale. The organization launched this new brand in April, including the website goglendale.org. 

With a fresh look and focused priorities, we will propel Go Glendale to build on its legacy as one of the first TMAs in the region with a mission to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, accessibility, mobility, and quality of life. 

Check out the new brand for the Glendale TMA: www.goglendale.org