do you go about engaging the public, trying
to inform them of the dos and don’ts of
these things?How successful have those
initiatives been?
DICKERSON:
We have two main
educational efforts and one is targeting the
liveries, the rentals. In a number of states, as
part of our advocacy, these liveries are
required to provide a certain amount of user
education prior to hopping aboard. That, in
a number of states, includes an instructional
video as well as a short test. We have
produced a short instructional video for the
liveries and it is very popular. We mail them
out all year long, and it’s of course also
available on our website, and I imagine
many people we don’t know of just roll that
right straight off of our website. That has
been a real benefit and from the industry’s
point of view, rentals are the entrée into
purchases, and by giving them some
beginning education, not only does it start
them off on a safe footing, but it also gives
them a certain amount of comfort aboard
the vessel.
Our second and most recent initiative is
Safe Rider. We launched it last year. It is
tailor-made for today’s communications. It
is an online program, where people read the
rules of the road and then they sign on, “Yes,
Iwill commit to being a safe rider.”And, you
know what Safe Rider stands for, because
you received this information. This year,
we’re putting more effort behind it than
ever before andwe’re doing that by reaching
out to the department of natural resources
around the country to encourage them to
make riders aware of it. Also, through social
media, we’re working very hard through
Twitter and Facebook, to make sure people
are aware of it.
Not only will those that sign the pledge
receive a sticker to go on the machine – it’s a
real attractive safe rider decal –but also they
will be part of drawings for accessories,
whether they be key chains or other
branded materials that are just fun and part
of thewhole encouragement to signup.
BUSINESS WORLD:
What sorts of
things, if we had this conversation again
down the road, do you imagine changing in
the next five years? It is just beating the
drum for more access and safety and
informing legislators? What other things
182 | BusinessWorld |
June-July 2014
