NEW COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY TRANSIT SERVICE INVITES STUDENTS TO “BRING THE HEAT”
HEAT Vehicle Design Contest Underway
Greensboro, NC – March 29 – Higher Education Area Transit (HEAT), the new transit service for college students and the general public in Greensboro is offering local students a unique opportunity for input in the appearance of the new vehicle fleet. A bus design contest, Bring The HEAT, calls for local students to submit their ideas for vehicle striping, decals, and other graphic elements to enhance the look of the vehicles. Students of six local institutions partnering with Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) can apply their artistic talent using the 30-foot Supreme manufactured bus as their canvas. Three winners will be chosen with the grand prize winner receiving an Apple iPod .mp3 player. Two runner-up prize winners will be awarded with gift certificates to the winner’s college bookstore.
“The buses for the new service will arrive from the manufacturer totally white…a blank slate,” said Kevin Elwood for Greensboro Department of Transportation. “Although the logo and signage will of course become a part of the vehicle’s exterior, the rest of the design is up to us. This contest is an excellent way to further give students a stake in their new service and give us some great ideas.”
Students may create their artwork using color pencils, inks, computer software or whatever medium they choose. Submissions must be made on 8 ½ by 11-inch paper or in a .pdf computer file. The deadline for entry in the contest is Friday, April 21st, 2006. Contest rules, submission forms and bus templates are available at www.rideheat.com General inquiries may be directed to heat@greensboro-nc.gov
Regardless of the designs that make it on the vehicles, all will prominently feature the newly created service logo designed by local advertising and public relations firm, King’s English. A marketing committee comprised of participating college and university representatives and GDOT and GTA personnel directed the development of the service name and logo to be used on the service fleet and all communications materials.
The HEAT service, unveiled last year, will connect Greensboro institutions of higher learning this fall and provide students and all Greensboro residents and visitors with more frequent and widespread public transportation services. Featured is an east-west route that connects all of the participating campuses and an inner circulator to link several downtown campuses with the city’s multi-modal transportation center, the J. Douglas Galyon Depot. A shuttle service will connect UNCG with off-campus housing along Spring Garden Street and existing GTA service to GTCC Jamestown will be enhanced with additional evening service and 30-minute frequencies during peak times. HEAT will operate 39 weeks out of the year, coinciding with university and college schedules and offer late night weekend service as late as 3 a.m.
The institutions partnering with GTA on HEAT are: Bennett College for Women; Elon University School of Law; Greensboro College; Guilford College; Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC); and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). The institutions’ matching funds in support of the service will allow their qualified students fare-free, unlimited passage on HEAT and all GTA fixed routes throughout the school year.
The service expansion is being funded, in large part, with a $6 million Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) grant. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is providing additional funding to cover some capital expenditures and the participating schools are contributing all of the required local matching funds. The service will be operated by GTA.
The Greensboro Department of Transportation (GDOT) seeks to increase public safety and mobility through the effective planning, construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure and operation of municipal transit. For more information about GDOT, contact us at (336) 373-GDOT (4368) or visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/gdot.
The City of Greensboro works in partnership with the community to build an increased quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, and trust are valued. As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a dedicated professional staff of 2700 employees who maintain four core values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect. The City of Greensboro is governed by a council-manager form of government where a mayor and eight council members act as the legislative body. For more information on the City of Greensboro, please visit us online at www.greensboro-nc.gov.