Challenge
Some 480,000 school buses carry 25 million children — more than half of America’s schoolchildren — each day, making the school bus industry the largest form of mass transit in the United States.
Solution
Noble Energy and the Regional Air Quality Council worked together to replace diesel-burning school buses with new, efficient buses that run on clean-burning natural gas produced right here in Colorado.
Results
9NEWS (NBC affiliate) attended the event and served as the pool camera, sharing coverage with Denver broadcast stations.
Challenge
Some 480,000 school buses carry 25 million children — more than half of America’s schoolchildren — each day, making the school bus industry the largest form of mass transit in the United States. Noble Energy saw a great opportunity to help create a better future for children by replacing diesel-fueled school buses with compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Natural gas vehicles outperform conventional fuels with a significantly higher octane rating, better fuel efficiency, lower operating costs and dramatic emissions reductions. It is the only alternative fuel that can power heavy-duty trucks and buses, the busiest vehicles on the road today.
Solution
Noble Energy and the Regional Air Quality Council worked together to replace diesel-burning school buses with new, efficient buses that run on clean-burning natural gas produced right here in Colorado. The CNG bus program will help to purchase 75 buses by 2019 for school districts in Denver and Greeley. The CNG buses are quiet, reduce pollutants by as much as 45%, and are up to one-third less expensive than diesel fuel on an equivalent energy basis. As a result, school districts will save approximately $3,000 on fuel per CNG bus per year. To leverage this incredible story, Noble tapped GroundFloor Media and CenterTable to provide support for bus dedication events including:
- Developing a meaningful community event for the CNG bus dedication by gathering Noble employees, school and community representatives to participate in a dedication event
- Conducting proactive outreach to print and broadcast media outlets to secure coverage of the events
- Leveraging Noble Energy’s messaging throughout the event via speaking opportunities, signage, media interviews, social/video sound bites, etc.
- Utilizing event participation opportunities (e.g., employee participation, partners, city council members, school board members, etc.) to build relationships with key constituents/stakeholders in the community for future advocacy support
Results
- 9NEWS (NBC affiliate) attended the event and served as the pool camera, sharing coverage with Denver broadcast stations
- 9NEWS ran three segments
- 4 (CBS) ran one segment
- Total local viewership: 254,586
- Total local market publicity value: $19,036.82
- Twitter
- Mentions of “Mapleton” or “MapletonSchools” and “buses” reached an audience of 414,559
- 10 mentions by 9 users, including 9NEWS and Mapleton Schools
- Facebook
- Noble’s post reached an audience of 1,661
- That post also saw 114 interactions:
- 26 likes and 2 loves
- 6 shares
- 3 positive comments
