PATCO’s Snow Pile on Social Media

How long will it take to melt?

That’s the question recently posed on social media by the Port Authority Transit Company (PATCO).

The South Jersey train line posted a picture of a giant pile of snow from plowing one of its station parking lots.

PATCO is offering a $20 gift card to whoever guesses when the snow will be completely melted.

(Interesting fact: The dirt in the snow pile will absorb more light from the sun, causing it to melt faster.)

The post has tens of thousands of views (most PATCO posts are in the hundreds), and has garnered some good local PR – even a national hit or two. Hundreds of commenters have weighed in with a guess.

Waiting for the Snow to Melt

We’re big fans of any traditionally mundane agencies or brands with a great social media presence (looking at you, Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources or U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission).

These accounts are rarely about selling or conversions (though for a profile like PATCO, increased ridership is certainly a goal).

Instead, they’re often focused on providing timely information to affected residents or visitors. Posts that spur engagement help with visibility, both within platform algorithms and by getting in front of would-be followers.

PATCO takes another smart step with that goal in mind – the page posts the hours it is active. Plus, channel operators consistently signal when they’re “signing on” and “signing off” for the day. When users visit the page looking for real-time updates about delays or other info, knowing whether the channel is being actively updated is a key piece of information.