The Via Rail Promotion For CF Members Thread
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Oh, well the way I see it, the beer will still be cold in germany next summer and mother-in-law will be just as controlling as ever ;D
Ach mein boor kleines Töchterchen, lebt sie so weiter Weg von ihrer Mama!
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A bit of follow-up - more than 58K tickets issued, too early to say if it'll be repeated. Shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act.
Via Rail freebie for soldiers brings in $900,000: report
Canadian Press, 18 Oct 08
Article link
A controversial campaign to fill Via Rail trains with military families during the summer boosted revenues at the Crown corporation by about $900,000, internal documents show.
But the freebie offer still leaves Via Rail - which ran a $200-million deficit last year - a long way from profitability.
More than 58,000 tickets were issued under the special promotion, which allowed Canadian Forces members, veterans and civilian workers at National Defence to ride free in July, while family members paid half price. Kids travelled free.
Via Rail estimates all those tickets were worth about $4 million retail, with revenues per ticket on average less than one-quarter of the regular price.
But for the last seven years, ridership has been dropping markedly in July. The corporation had been looking for a way to increase summer revenues and fill half-empty trains.
"The challenge was to create an offer that would stimulate trial (ridership) in July in order to reach the budgeted passenger and revenue targets," says a Sept. 3 internal report by Pierre Santoni, senior director of national sales.
"This had to be accomplished in a short period of time, without any marketing or advertising dollars to support the offer (in order to have a) better cost ratio."
The report and other related documents were obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.
Via Rail also expected the promotion - limited to economy-class seats - would force more customers to upgrade to first-class as the cheaper tickets sold out. The campaign would also expose more people to rail travel and encourage them to come back at full-fare in the future.
In the end, the freebie campaign netted $783,437 directly and another $133,386 in so-called spinoff revenue - tickets for which travel started in June or ended in August, so that the non-July portion of the fare was at full-price.
The program "surpassed all objectives," Santoni wrote, partly because "an unprecedented amount of media and press value was generated without any advertising (spending) by Via Rail directly."
The freebie offer was announced with fanfare March 26 at the Halifax railway station, touted simply as a way for the Crown corporation to say thanks to military personnel.
But internal documents later showed that the campaign was partly a hard-boiled business decision to increase cash flow in the summer doldrums.
Some military families also objected to the July time frame, noting that soldiers serving in Afghanistan during the summer - the very people Via Rail said it wanted to thank - could not take advantage.
In the end, the promotion appears to have boosted July revenues by about four per cent, Santoni's report says.
Via Rail spokesman Malcolm Andrews cautioned that the corporation had already seen stronger revenues in the first six months, and July's improved numbers could be attributed to several factors, not just the military passengers.
"It's too soon to say whether Via will repeat the same promotion," Andrews said. "We are always looking at innovative ways to attract people to travel by train." ....
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Via Rail freebie for soldiers brings in $900,000: report
Canadian Press, 18 Oct 08
Article link
A controversial campaign to fill Via Rail trains with military families during the summer boosted revenues at the Crown corporation by about $900,000, internal documents show.
But the freebie offer still leaves Via Rail - which ran a $200-million deficit last year - a long way from profitability.
More than 58,000 tickets were issued under the special promotion, which allowed Canadian Forces members, veterans and civilian workers at National Defence to ride free in July, while family members paid half price. Kids travelled free.
Via Rail estimates all those tickets were worth about $4 million retail, with revenues per ticket on average less than one-quarter of the regular price.
But for the last seven years, ridership has been dropping markedly in July. The corporation had been looking for a way to increase summer revenues and fill half-empty trains.
"The challenge was to create an offer that would stimulate trial (ridership) in July in order to reach the budgeted passenger and revenue targets," says a Sept. 3 internal report by Pierre Santoni, senior director of national sales.
"This had to be accomplished in a short period of time, without any marketing or advertising dollars to support the offer (in order to have a) better cost ratio."
The report and other related documents were obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.
Via Rail also expected the promotion - limited to economy-class seats - would force more customers to upgrade to first-class as the cheaper tickets sold out. The campaign would also expose more people to rail travel and encourage them to come back at full-fare in the future.
In the end, the freebie campaign netted $783,437 directly and another $133,386 in so-called spinoff revenue - tickets for which travel started in June or ended in August, so that the non-July portion of the fare was at full-price.
The program "surpassed all objectives," Santoni wrote, partly because "an unprecedented amount of media and press value was generated without any advertising (spending) by Via Rail directly."
The freebie offer was announced with fanfare March 26 at the Halifax railway station, touted simply as a way for the Crown corporation to say thanks to military personnel.
But internal documents later showed that the campaign was partly a hard-boiled business decision to increase cash flow in the summer doldrums.
Some military families also objected to the July time frame, noting that soldiers serving in Afghanistan during the summer - the very people Via Rail said it wanted to thank - could not take advantage.
In the end, the promotion appears to have boosted July revenues by about four per cent, Santoni's report says.
Via Rail spokesman Malcolm Andrews cautioned that the corporation had already seen stronger revenues in the first six months, and July's improved numbers could be attributed to several factors, not just the military passengers.
"It's too soon to say whether Via will repeat the same promotion," Andrews said. "We are always looking at innovative ways to attract people to travel by train." ....
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Prairie Dog said:
I'll second that. We made a trip out west using the promotion, and was pleasantly surprised by the train service on the Montreal-Ottawa-TO route. Not sure if I'd do comfort class from TO to Vancouver again - but it was always one of things I wanted to do, and thanks to VIA I can cross it off my list.
I hope they promote the guy/gal who came up with the idea Sounds like a win/win for everyone. A number of CF members/veterans/DND personnel got a great deal for July, and if the company made money doing it, more power to them. My wife and I are already planning our weekend away in TO - something we never would have considered the train for.
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While I never took advantage of the offer, I had friends that did and they became converts to rail travel.
Well for VIA it was a great idea, because people don't really travel alone so they did boost their sales with family members, and when you are on a train people buy food and other stuff too...
I didn't take advantage of this offer but have taken the train before, and anything under 12 hours I would definitely consider. Alot more leg room then the bus or the plane, the ability to get up and walk to stretch your legs is wonderfull. The only draw back is the price sadly, the plane if often cheaper on long distances.
I didn't take advantage of this offer but have taken the train before, and anything under 12 hours I would definitely consider. Alot more leg room then the bus or the plane, the ability to get up and walk to stretch your legs is wonderfull. The only draw back is the price sadly, the plane if often cheaper on long distances.
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I hope these results have woken them up to the fact that they can't charge airline rates for a seat that is the same size and takes up to 4 times longer when the bus which only takes 6 times longer is 1/10th the price
I think VIA has an excellent service, they just need to drop their rates to about half what the airlines charge to draw in customers, otherwise people are going to take the plane and get there faster or the bus and save a bundle. if they charge half price what the airlines charge they will drive airline customers who want to save some money at the expense of a little time, and the bus customers who are willing to pay a little more to get there faster in a little more comfort.
Kudos to them to pick the CF to benefit form their experiment.
I think VIA has an excellent service, they just need to drop their rates to about half what the airlines charge to draw in customers, otherwise people are going to take the plane and get there faster or the bus and save a bundle. if they charge half price what the airlines charge they will drive airline customers who want to save some money at the expense of a little time, and the bus customers who are willing to pay a little more to get there faster in a little more comfort.
Kudos to them to pick the CF to benefit form their experiment.
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Via Rail offers free tickets to soldiers, vets 2009
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/622645
Apr 22, 2009 03:39 PM
THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – Via Rail will offer free basic rail travel for military personnel and veterans again this summer.
The company says the free tickets will be offered in July to all serving and former members of the Forces, with other discounts available for their dependents.
A soldier or vet travelling free will be able to bring up to five family members along at half price.
They will also be offered half-price tickets for travel in business, sleeper and touring classes.
The Crown corporation offered a similar program last July and says about 60,000 people took the deal.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/622645
Apr 22, 2009 03:39 PM
THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – Via Rail will offer free basic rail travel for military personnel and veterans again this summer.
The company says the free tickets will be offered in July to all serving and former members of the Forces, with other discounts available for their dependents.
A soldier or vet travelling free will be able to bring up to five family members along at half price.
They will also be offered half-price tickets for travel in business, sleeper and touring classes.
The Crown corporation offered a similar program last July and says about 60,000 people took the deal.
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"Qualifying adult passenger is defined as any adult 18 years of age or older who is in possession of either a valid DND (NDI20) photo identification card, a valid Retired Regular Forces identification card (NDI 75 ROS), or a valid Veterans Affairs Health Identification Card."
Seems like Reservists and former ( non-retired ) members are not included.
Seems like Reservists and former ( non-retired ) members are not included.
from darkness lite
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mariomike said:
All Forces personnel, Reg and Reserve, are in possession of a NDI 20 (or a temp).
Haggis
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from darkness lite said:
Most Class A Reservists are denied an NDI 20 and are issued an NDI 10 (a temporary I Card) instead. Most government agencies will not accept an NDI 10 for identification purposes (i.e. for obtaining drivers licences, provincial health cards, passports etc.).
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Haggis said:
After serving 2 years, the entitlement to an "upgrade" to an NDI20 kicks in.
(And, I could be wrong - it could be one year until NDI20 kicks in ... I just know that as the Det Comd in PEI, I arranged for a massive photo/fingerprinting session with the Ident folks from Gagetown coming over on TD so that we could get all entitled pers into their NDI20 from the temp IDs).
I'm not at work today to confirm the time-period, but it's given in the books.
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So,
There should be no challenges for serving reservists? Was there any the last time VIA offered this?
dileas
tess
There should be no challenges for serving reservists? Was there any the last time VIA offered this?
dileas
tess
Haggis
Army.ca Veteran
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I guess it depends on the diligence of the ticket agent. Will s/he know the difference between an NDI 10 and 20? Furthermore, will s/he care?the 48th regulator said:
Unknown, but a good question.
Retired Reservists are entitled to the NDI 75 card, but the offer specifically states that only Regular Force NDI 75 holders are eligible. Again, I guess it will come down to the diligence of the ticket agent.
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All I can say is that last year, a couple of guys from my unit took up the offer. So if it's like last year, there sould be no problems.
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I do not think we should be looking for nefarious plots in this - I suspect it's just a general lack of awareness of certain issues particular to the Reserve Force in some of DND's senior staff. That is (unfortunately) altogether too common.
I suspect that a simple request for clarification will see VIA Rail amend their qualifications list to include retired Reservists and Reservists with an NDI 10.
http://www.viarail.ca/forces2009/en_conditions.html
I suspect that a simple request for clarification will see VIA Rail amend their qualifications list to include retired Reservists and Reservists with an NDI 10.
http://www.viarail.ca/forces2009/en_conditions.html
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