Keep an eye out for the latest Pride-themed GO bus in the GTHA…
By Courtney Hardwick
From Toronto to Kitchener to Niagara Falls and beyond, Metrolinx takes passengers all over Ontario aboard GO Transit and UP Express. Travelling many routes means being seen by a lot of people, and GO bus wraps have been a great way for Metrolinx to promote its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, equality, and embracing everything that Pride represents.
Since the first one-of-a-kind GO Transit bus wrap hit the streets in 2014, Metrolinx has continued to unveil new Pride-themed designs. Created by the in-house creative team at Metrolinx, each bus wrap is all about celebrating what it means to be inclusive all year-round.
“The annual Pride bus design is one of the most fun projects we take on every year. Seriously, not just saying that!” says Lorne Kinsella, creative director, brand, identity & creative at Metrolinx. “Developing a visual metaphor that expresses how important this community is to us and to Metrolinx is always rewarding, and we absolutely love seeing the designs roaring along a roadway!”
The Pride bus wrap design for this year features artwork inspired by the Progress Flag: a traditional six-colour rainbow joined by white, pink and light blue chevrons to represent the transgender community, and black and brown chevrons to represent marginalized LGBTQ+ communities of colour along with those lost to HIV/AIDS or those currently living with it.
The chevrons represent forward movement, which Metrolinx views as its organizational commitment within the realm of diversity and inclusion. The purple stream flowing through ribbons intertwining with the GO logo work to signify that this is an ongoing journey for the organization.
The wrapped buses stay on the road 365 days a year, to reinforce to riders – and everyone who sees the message – that Metrolinx is committed to offering safe travel free from discrimination and inclusive of every single person across the GTHA.
The 2019 Pride Bus, which is still in service, travelled 108,000 kilometres in 2020 and approximately 63,739 kilometres so far this year, and has been through 40 different municipalities. Metrolinx expects the brand new 2021 Pride bus to cover just as much ground – if not more.
The Pride buses are a representation of Metrolinx’s support for the LGBTQ+ community and a reminder that the public transportation network, stations and vehicles are meant to be safe spaces that the public can rely on.
See if you can spot the new 2021 Pride bus on your route!
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