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New GovDelivery System Boosting E-Commerce Sales
| Release Number: | nr06-08 |
| Release Date: | Jun 19, 2009 |
First Electronic Bike Locker Card Sold After Cyclist Received Auto E-mail
San José, Calif.—When long-time bicycle commuter Marylou Avanzino of San Jose recently purchased the first electronic bike locker smart card ever sold on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) website, two new high-tech site enhancements played a major role in steering her to a third state-of-the-art project focused on making bicycle commuting more convenient.
Electronic bike lockers use a smart card that allows better utilization of specially-equipped bike lockers by switching from the current one-locker-per-person system to a smart-card key system where a pool of lockers will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The electronic bike lockers are available at eight transit centers and light rail stations in Milpitas, Campbell and San Jose.
Avanzino learned of the electronic bike lockers because she had signed up to receive automatic e-mail updates whenever updated information on bicycle services appears on VTA’s web site. GovDelivery, as the notification system is called, allows visitors to to click an “envelope” icon located at the top of most pages. After a brief, one-time registration process, participants then receive an e-mail whenever that page is updated.
GovDelivery was added to the VTA website in late March 2009. Since then, 1,057 subscribers have enrolled. The most popular page is “alerts” (unplanned impacts to service), with 461 people signed up.
The automated e-mail Avanzino received about the electronic bike lockers also led her to information on VTA’s another new addition to the VTA website—an e-commerce page where the electronic bike locker smart cards are being sold.
Currently a pilot program, the e-commerce site is selling the youth summer blast pass and the bicycle locker smart cards. Once summer arrives, plans call for the e-commerce page to go dark as changes and revisions are made. Currently, the intent for the page is to return at a later date with the capacity to sell a wide array of VTA fare media and related goods.
Avanzino, who’s Yahoo e-mail address includes the word “bike,” not only purchased the first ever electronic bicycle locker smart card by using
VTA’s new e-commerce web page after receiving an automated e-mail notification from VTA’s state-of-the-art GovDelivery service, she also got a screaming good deal.
Her great deal? The electronic bike locker smart cards are on sale at the
e-commerce page at an introductory rate of $10, temporarily reduced from $20.
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About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region. VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; countywide transportation planning and provides these services to cities throughout the county including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale. VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa ClaraCounty
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