Swiftwater, PA – Friends and colleagues of the Pocono Pony, formally known as Monroe County Transit Authority (MCTA), gathered to commission three new transit buses and their CNG fueling station. The American-made buses built by Gillig, LLC sport Cassidy Communications bright, eye-catching design.
“The 35-foot long, heavy-duty, low floor vehicles presented quite a ‘canvas’ for bold design,” said Cassidy Creative Director Kelly Cassidy-Vanek. Working for nearly a year alongside the MCTA team, Cassidy developed a hard-to-forget, retro 1970’s-style. The goal was to create a persona for each bus that engages current transit riders and attracts new interest in sustainable transportation.
Buses with personality
Building on the persona, the Monroe County Transit Authority team gave each bus a clever moniker. The pink bus named Jasmine has an officially licensed Susan G. Komen breast cancer color. The lively teal bus is named Shaquille O’Teal. Lastly, the bright green bus is known as Kiwi. Each bus’s interior has a coordinated selection of colors for the seats, floor, walls, ceiling, and interior lighting, so each is truly unique.
Valuable and a value
“The combination of cost savings and extended engine life, helps us become more sustainable, so we reduce reliance on state and federal subsidies to fund our operation,” stated Peggy Howarth, Executive Director of MCTA. “Ribbon cutting and commissioning ceremonies like this provide the opportunity to look back with pride on all the struggles and achievements it took to reach this point.”
Each bus is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Passengers have access to up-to-the-minute arrival times delivered to their mobile devices. These apps are available on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Each bus offers handicapped accessibility and provides a wheelchair ramp.
“This innovative program continues to expand, and helps Monroe County Transit Authority save on fuel costs and improve sustainability,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “These are important steps to keeping Pennsylvanians moving and improving quality of life.”
