SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
Issue link: https://sportsevents.epubxp.com/i/139692
3 B Be Specific A About What—Or W Who—You Want R Ripani also said it's i imperative to be specific about the type of personality you would like the driver to have. "A lot of times, drivers can make or break a trip," he said. "If you prefer a driver who is very reserved and will keep to himself, request that. If you want a driver who is very involved and likes to talk and wants to feel a part of the team, request that. If you get a driver who doesn't fit in with what you want, it can really ruin the vibe. So make specific requests for the type of driver you want to move your team." 4 M Manage E Expectations W When setting up shuttle tr transportation for fans and spe spectators, it's important to know what their expectations are when it comes to wait time. "Always find out how comfortable the specific customer is with wait times at the route," Ripani said. "Some will say 10 minutes, but some are OK with 45 minutes. If you know up front what is expected, you may be able to save money on the number of buses if they are OK with a longer wait time. Managing the expectations of your customer is key." Another way to manage expectations of fans and spectators is knowing all the transportation options you can make available for use. For example, Anthony Travel helped the University of Louisville with travel arrangements for its fans to travel to Atlanta to watch the basketball team play www.sportseventsmagazine.com in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four in April. "We had groups staying in the Buckhead area, but a lot of activities and the games were going on downtown," Wurzberger said. "So we made a decision in some packages to include a MARTA pass. It was a convenient way for a fan to get to where they needed to go whenever they wanted to go. We, of course, still had shuttles available, but those were only available at certain times. So it gave the travelers much more flexibility." Being able to rely upon Anthony Travel made everything much easier for the staff of the Louisville Athletic Department, said Kevin Miller, executive senior associate athletic director. "Anthony Travel met the needs of our fans to help provide a first-class service on our behalf, which eliminated a lot of our headaches of trying to take care of the travel for all of the different groups, like the team, fans, etc.," he said. "They came The BusBank In addition, he said, it's also helpful for the driver to stay with the team at the team hotel. "If you want flexibility to be able to call the driver when you want him if something comes up and you need to change plans, it's useful to have the driver there at all times with the team," he said. "I always recommend the driver stay with the group at the hotel because there are always last minute changes and this will give the team the best opportunity to adapt to those changes." ▲ GAME Plan in with the experience we needed and y knew exactly what we needed." 5 P Practice Makes P Perfect Once a transportation plan ha been determined, make dry has runs of the route or routes chosen to get a good feel of how it should go the day of the event. "Hop in your car, drive the route a few times, watch the clock, stop at the specific locations as if you're loading a bus and then continue on so you can get a sense of how long it will take a bus to run a specific route," Ripani said. ■ Transportation Tips From The Pros There's a lot to keep in mind when it comes to planning transportation for teams and fans to and from an event. Here are more useful tips to keep in mind: ■ Before you choose a transportation management company, request a picture or set up a time to look at the bus or buses you will be using. Make sure you know exactly what you're getting. ■ Check out all vehicle options; don't assume you know what you need. Many mid-sized coaches can hold up to 35 people and still have the amenities of a full-sized coach. If you're on a tight budget, a smaller bus might mean money saved. ■ Ask the transportation management company to install GPS trackers on the buses you will be using. ■ Place clear signage at each pick up location so riders know they are at the correct location and where they are going. Also, if possible, have onsite management at each loading zone to assist riders with any questions they might have about the shuttle arrangements and to keep the loading process organized and calm. ■ Plan for traffic. The worst thing you can do is get people to the event late, said Leslie Wurzberger, vice president of event services for Anthony Travel. The best way to avoid this scenario is to plan to arrive at the event early in case unexpected traffic delays do occur. ■ Even if you can only load two buses at a time at your loading zone, keep the back-up buses in sight so that riders know they will be boarding soon. June 2013 13