Case study: Streamlining the Channel Cat website

For many Quad Citizens and tourists, the Channel Cat isn’t just a water taxi, it’s part of the Quad Cities summer experience. Riders of all ages and from all walks of life step aboard to enjoy scenic Mississippi River views, hop between popular spots on either side of the river or simply relax on the water.

MetroLINK came to us with a clear goal: give Channel Cat riders easy access to mobile ticketing. We saw an opportunity to go further by creating a complete digital hub for the Channel Cat experience — one that would make planning and riding as smooth as the journey itself.

The partnership

The Channel Cat is owned by Quad Cities MetroLINK, a public transit provider that serves the Illinois Quad Cities with more than 2.2 million rides each year. Together, we built a user-friendly website — separate from MetroLINK’s main site — that serves as the Channel Cat’s streamlined digital home, putting everything riders need at their fingertips: schedules, route maps, ticket purchasing and real-time convenience.

Strategy: Putting the audience first

With the goal defined, our web team sprang into action, beginning where we always start: our audience. We asked ourselves: What do riders really need?
Three priorities rose to the top:

• One-stop access: Combining routes, scheduling and ticketing into a single, easy-to-use platform was essential.
• Streamlined purchasing: Long forms or multiple steps can cost valuable time (and even ticket sales). The new purchase process needed to be quick, secure and painless.
• Mobile responsiveness: Most users would access the site while standing dockside with a phone in hand. A mobile-first website design would be key.

These findings represented a shift from a digital-first strategy to a user-first strategy, ensuring that every web development choice supported the riders’ experience, while also simplifying daily operations for staff.

Solution: Implementing a user-friendly web experience

With the Channel Cat’s 30th anniversary season fast approaching, we had just months to go from concept to launch. Our team delivered everything from site architecture and copywriting to custom programming, creating a platform that’s both user-friendly and technically sound.

By late May, the new site was live and ready to welcome riders for a milestone summer on the river. The site consolidated schedules, route details and ticketing into one central hub, making trip planning simple from start to finish.

Key features included:

• All-in-one access: Riders can view schedules, routes and purchase tickets in one place.
• Simple checkout: Secure ticket purchases happen in just a few taps.
• On-the-dock convenience: Each purchase generates a QR-code ticket that staff can scan right at the dock using their phones. Staff also enjoy this new process because it’s fast, intuitive and hassle-free.

To celebrate the anniversary and showcase the new website, we worked with the MetroLINK team to launch the Channel Cat Giveaway. The promotion drove traffic, boosted awareness and encouraged riders to check out the new website and ticketing process.

Takeaway: Simpler is better

This Channel Cat project proves that web development doesn’t always mean creating a site with all the bells and whistles. It’s also about creating a simple, intuitive experience that works seamlessly for the people who use it.

Ready to create a digital experience your customers will love? Let’s simplify, streamline and spark growth for your business together. Contact our team today.