Angles by journalist
Fact sheet lines are numbered 1 to 5, as you supplied them. Because the news is under embargo, the first pitch only asks each journalist to agree to hold it; the figures, quote and assets go in a details email after they agree.
| Journalist | Outlet and beat | Recent article cited | Fact lines used | Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priya Raman | Metro Weekly, urban policy desk | "Why bus lanes stall in mid-size cities" | 1, 2 (first pitch); 2, 3, 4, 5 (details) | A ranking of on time performance for 40 US city bus systems, with a 71% median, adds national data to her coverage of city bus service. |
| Tom Becker | Wisconsin State Ledger, transportation | "Madison Metro redesign one year later" | 1, 2 (first pitch); 2, 3, 4, 5 (details) | Madison Metro ranks highest of the 40 systems at 89%, a Wisconsin result for his Madison Metro coverage. |
The pitch to Tom does not suggest the redesign caused the ranking. The fact sheet does not say that.
Pitch drafts
Subjects under 60 characters, first pitches and details emails under 150 words. Counts were checked by script and include the greeting and sign-off. The embargo line is the first line of every message.
First pitch to Priya Raman, Metro Weekly
- Subject: Embargoed: new on time ranking of US city bus systems (53 characters)
- Body (92 words):
Hi Priya,
Under embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET.
Greenline Transit Data is releasing the 2026 Bus Reliability Index, a ranking of on time performance for US city bus systems built from public GTFS realtime feeds.
Your recent piece "Why bus lanes stall in mid-size cities" covers city bus service, so the system by system results may be useful to you.
Would you agree to hold the news until the embargo lifts? If so, I'll send the figures, a CEO quote and the charts.
Best, [ADD: sender name and title]
First pitch to Tom Becker, Wisconsin State Ledger
- Subject: Embargoed: Madison Metro in a new US bus ranking (48 characters)
- Body (87 words):
Hi Tom,
Under embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET.
Greenline Transit Data is releasing the 2026 Bus Reliability Index, a ranking of on time performance for US city bus systems built from public GTFS realtime feeds. Madison Metro is one of the systems ranked.
Your recent piece "Madison Metro redesign one year later" covers this system.
Would you agree to hold the news until the embargo lifts? If so, I'll send Madison's result, a CEO quote and the charts.
Best, [ADD: sender name and title]
Details email to Priya, after she agrees
- Subject: Bus Reliability Index details, embargoed to Nov 4 (49 characters)
- Body (103 words):
Hi Priya,
Under embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET.
Thanks for agreeing to the embargo. The index ranks on time performance for 40 US city bus systems using public GTFS realtime feeds from January to September 2026. The median on time rate across the 40 systems is 71%. Madison Metro is highest at 89%; the lowest system, named in the report, is at 52%.
Greenline CEO Dana Ortiz said: "Riders feel reliability more than any route map. We built the index so cities can see where they stand."
Charts: https://greenline.example/index-2026/charts Methodology and data file: https://greenline.example/index-2026
Best, [ADD: sender name and title]
Details email to Tom, after he agrees
- Subject: Madison Metro result, embargoed to Nov 4 (40 characters)
- Body (104 words):
Hi Tom,
Under embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET.
Thanks for agreeing to the embargo. Madison Metro has the highest on time rate, 89%, of the 40 US city bus systems in the index, which uses public GTFS realtime feeds from January to September 2026. The median across all 40 systems is 71%, so Madison Metro is 89 - 71 = 18 points above it.
Greenline CEO Dana Ortiz said: "Riders feel reliability more than any route map. We built the index so cities can see where they stand."
Charts: https://greenline.example/index-2026/charts Methodology and data file: https://greenline.example/index-2026
Best, [ADD: sender name and title]
Follow-up drafts
Under 70 words each. Send once, 3 to 5 days after the first pitch, only to a journalist who has not replied. Under embargo, a follow up adds no new fact; it repeats the agreement ask.
Follow-up to Priya
- Body (43 words): Hi Priya, under embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET. Following up on the 2026 Bus Reliability Index from Greenline Transit Data. If you can hold the news until then, I'll send the full figures and charts today. Best, [ADD: sender name]
Follow-up to Tom
- Body (43 words): Hi Tom, under embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET. Following up on the 2026 Bus Reliability Index and Madison Metro's result. If you can hold the news until then, I'll send the Madison figures and charts today. Best, [ADD: sender name]
Fact trace
| Sentence or claim | Fact line |
|---|---|
| Embargo until November 4, 2026, 6:00 AM ET | Embargo input |
| Greenline is releasing the 2026 Bus Reliability Index | 1 |
| Ranks on time performance of US city bus systems from public GTFS realtime feeds | 2 |
| 40 systems, January to September 2026 | 2 |
| Median on time rate of 71% | 3 |
| Madison Metro highest at 89%; lowest at 52%, named in the report | 4 |
| 18 points above the median | Derived: line 4 (89) minus line 3 (71) |
| Dana Ortiz quote | Approved quote input |
| Chart pack link | Assets input |
| Methodology and data file link | 5 |
| Article titles | Journalists input |
No sentence claims exclusivity or a prior relationship.
Needs your decision
- Fill in the sender name and title.
- Approve each pitch, details email and follow up before it is sent or scheduled. Nothing has been sent.
- Send the details email only to a journalist who has agreed to the embargo in writing, and keep that reply.
- Confirm Dana Ortiz approves using the quote in these emails.