Amtrak San Joaquins:
COVID-19 Essential Travel
When COVID-19 travel restrictions were set by the state in March 2020, JSA was tasked with leading Amtrak San Joaquins’ communication and engagement efforts through the pandemic.
JSA established a three-phased public relations / communications plan focused on the agency’s sanitation and safety protocols surrounding COVID-19.
Our challenge was two fold: first, we had to let people know that if their travel was essential, which train and bus routes remained open, and how Amtrak San Joaquins had safety measures in place. Second, we had to creatively film, photograph, and explain these safety and sanitation messages while shelter-in-place orders were still impacting creative production.
Successes were defined by the following facts:
Amtrak San Joaquins’ PR and Communications PSA campaign materials served as the leading resource for passenger rail across the state of California.
Amtrak San Joaquins continued to be one of the top performing service lines in the nation throughout the pandemic – underscoring its essential service to the populations served.
Amtrak San Joaquins has been one of the fastest passenger rail services across the country to bounce back from the long lull of travel restrictions due to COVID-19 – carrying one of the highest ridership numbers as we moved past the PSA messaging and transitioned to more promotion-based communications.
