An innovative campaign that’s cost-effectively reaching Oregonians

Traffic congestion takes a heavy toll on residents, our economy and the environment. Oregon’s population is rapidly growing, and traffic will only get worse unless action is taken. Compounding the problem is the fact that there are insufficient funds to build new roads on a sizable scale. An integral part of the solution is to better manage the demand put on our existing transportation system and to maximize its capacity.

Launched in 2006 by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Metro, Drive Less Save More seeks to reduce single-occupant car trips and vehicle miles traveled as a means of better managing the demand put on our transportation system and minimizing the environmental impacts of vehicle use.

Pac/West and its subconsultants have since achieved impressive results in elevating public interest in driving less and spurring individuals to reduce car trips through strategies such as trip chaining and/or use of transportation options, including transit, ridesharing, teleworking, biking and walking.

Measurable Results:

• Nearly 19 percent of the Portland area population has reduced their car trips as a result of the Drive Less Save More Campaign– that’s more than 222,000 individuals
• Campaign impact is a conservative reduction of 21.8 million vehicle road miles
• Reduced road miles translates into a reduction of about 10,700 tons of carbon dioxide
• Campaign has saved the public more than $3.3 million in gasoline costs alone

An Excellent Return on Investment:

Drive Less Save More has leveraged the Oregon Legislature’s four and a half-year investment with the following to date:

• Generated print and broadcast news stories valued at more than $1.8 million
• Donated print, television and radio advertising valued at more than $1.7 million
• Private and public sector contributions totaling more than $650,000

Other Transportation Options Campaigns

In addition to Drive Less Save More, the Pac/West team has worked on a number of transportation-oriented social marketing campaigns. Most recently, in Oregon, we assisted Cherriots Rideshare in making significant strides over the past year in the reduction of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMTs) by commuters in Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties. This social marketing initiative, built upon the FA$T LANE program, includes a mix of targeted marketing and promotional activities, combined with paid and earned media.