Cleveland Rolls Out Barrels Against Big Oil

CLEVELAND, Jan 31, 2008 — A crowd of commuters gathered on Public Square in downtown Cleveland armed with picket signs, auto parts, and a message — it’s time to Join The Ride by taking public transportation. High gas prices have put a drag on the economy, and according to the group, the best stimulus plan for the country is for Americans to incorporate a bus or train into their commutes. The demonstrators, angered by news of record profits from Exxon and Shell, caught the attention of downtown office workers. So did the oil barrels blocking off the streets and the 45-foot long buses parked in the city’s busiest intersection.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) supported the lunchtime rally. RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese hopes the event gets Northeast Ohio commuters thinking. “Clevelanders spend more than 20 percent of their income to get to work,” said Calabrese. “This reduces the amount of discretionary dollars for other things, and is one of the reasons for the current economic slowdown. Based on AAA estimates, transit users can save more than $7,500 per year by avoiding parking fees, the gas pump, and car maintenance costs.”

Blocking streets with oil barrels may seem like an extreme way to market public transportation. But bold, guerrilla-style marketing has helped RTA capture the attention of drivers. In the past, the transit authority staged No Drive Day in Cleveland, complete with a 40-foot gas tanker truck blazoned with the message Rage against Your Machine. In 2007, it launched the Join the Ride campaign, with radio spots poking fun at speed cameras and billboards asking Clevelanders if they would miss Deadman’s Curve, a legendary spot known for frequent accidents.

PRNewswire