Chicago RTA uses video to educate potential riders

Chicago's Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the third largest public transportation system in North America, produced a video to encourage Chicagoland residents to try its services: Chicago Transit Authority, Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus.

While the trains and buses are busy during the commuter hours, they have capacity during off-peak times. The RTA needed a cost-effective method to demonstrate the ease and accessibility of it transit system and turned to digital animation for the first of its “Transit 101” video titled “From the Suburbs to Chicago."

“I think this video animation is really eye-catching and a new way to get the word out. We put a lot of information on brochures and printed schedules but it still can be confusing for someone who has never or rarely used public transportation," says Joe Costello, RTA Executive Director. "This animation gives a great explanation for riders from the suburbs of how the CTA, Metra and Pace work together to get people where they want to go.”

The two-and-a-half minute video is especially designed for sharing on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. It includes details about: RTA’s goroo, a multi-model public transit trip planner; weekend passes; and the free fares for children under 7.

The animation was conceptualized and designed by The Duke and the Duck Productions, a firm with national experience turning complex issues into compelling animation.

“People may not realize how digital technology has opened up a lot of possibilities for animation to tell stories more than ever before. Especially for complex situations, such as major metropolitan transit, digital animation is the perfect way to explain interlocking systems and ease of transfer,” says Alex Herder, CEO, The Duke and the Duck Productions.

Other clients include The World Bank, U.S. Army, Remember the Miners, Retail Industry Leaders Association and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.