Green Carpet Roll Out for 89 Propane Buses in Regina, Saskatchewan
Legacy Bus Sales in Saskatoon helped its customer, Regina Catholic School Division, unveil their new propane buses at a press conference on August 10. They even rolled out the green carpet to welcome attendees!
Legacy Bus Sales enlisted the help of ROUSH CleanTech, RCSD and Blue Bird to create a successful event to gain attention in the local and national media for their customer’s new fleet.
Throughout a series of conference calls, the team collaborated to define the best message and date for the event. They decided to host the press conference prior to the new school year, and would focus on the teamwork and partnerships that brought this school bus deployment to fruition. The team called the event “Meaningful Difference with Alternative Fuels.”
The four organizations discussed the best news angle to attract media attention. They developed key messaging: all of RCSD’s new bus fleet of 89 vehicles are powered by propane autogas, and that this would be the largest fleet of propane buses in Saskatchewan.
A media alert was distributed to local area reporters informing them of event details. RCSD reached out to local government officials, school board members, principals and others in the school district, inviting them to attend.
To add a fun element, the folks at RCSD wanted a “green” theme because of the emissions-reducing benefits of the propane-fueled buses. A green carpet rolled out toward one of the school buses, encouraging media and attendees to enter the bus, and a green ribbon further illustrated the environmentally friendly aspects of the fuel.
Another personalized touch was to have one of the school’s deacons bless the buses.
One unexpected twist was thrown into the mix just days before the event. Looking at the weather forecast with 80 percent chance of rain, the team came up with alternative plans, as the event was set to take place outdoors. They determined that the event would move a large tent closer to the buses to make it more accessible and provide additional cover from the elements if needed.
Along with the rain came the reporters, local dignitaries, RCSD’s director of education and other school staff. Representatives from the team included Jess Henderson from ROUSH CleanTech; Max Bouchard with Blue Bird; David White with LP3 Transportation Solution; and Ward Hepting from Legacy Bus Sales.
Events like these require many helping hands. That’s why ROUSH CleanTech developed the Blue Bird Dealer PR Support Program to help. If you’re interested in hosting an event similar to this with one of your customers, please reach out to your ROUSH CleanTech or Blue Bird sales manager to begin planning!
In the News
Following RCSD’s press conference, a press release was sent to local reporters and national trade publications to further spread the news. Here is a sample of the media coverage.
