North Central RTD Board members, representatives from Studio Six Branding and District staff welcome the newly branded RTD Blue Bus outside the transit headquarters in Española. From left, Councilor Melanee Hand, Los Alamos County; Jalmar Bowden, Village of Taos Ski Valley; Lillian Garcia, San Ildefonso Pueblo; Councilor Lee Garcia, City of Santa Fe; North Central RTD Chair and City of Española Councilor Dennis Salazar; Commissioner Hank Hughes, Santa Fe County; Traci Jones, Principal/Creative Director, Studio Six Branding; Michael Koch, Transit Consultant to Studio Six; Commissioner Ken Brennan, Town of Edgewood; Commissioner Jim Fambro, Taos County; Jim Nagle, RTD PIO; Anthony Mortillaro, RTD Executive Director; Commissioner Christine Bustos, Rio Arriba County. Courtesy/North Central RTD
The North Central RTD introduced Dec. 9 the new look for its RTD Blue Buses. Now simply known as the Blue Bus, the newly branded buses will begin rolling out throughout the District over the next couple of years. Courtesy/North Central RTD
North Central RTD News:
The North Central Regional Transit District (North Central RTD) Friday, Dec. 9 introduced the new look for its RTD Blue Buses. Now simply known as the Blue Bus, the newly branded buses will begin rolling out throughout the District over the coming months and over the next couple of years.
As part of the rebranding, the District will modify referencing to itself as North Central RTD rather than North Central Regional Transit District. Over the years, users of the service have commonly referred to it as the Blue Bus or RTD Blue Bus and the new branding will make use of that naming with the simple brand as the Blue Bus.
The new logo and vehicle branding was created by Studio Six Branding after a series of Discovery sessions with area stakeholders. It incorporates elements of the land and presents a celebration of cultural diversity and inclusivity that has been inspired by the majestic and awe-inspiring northern New Mexico landscape and symbols at the heart of the communities it serves.
The new bus design incorporates mountains, mesas and blue skies so prominent in the northern New Mexico landscapes. It also incorporates elements of eagle feathers, symbols that were raised by area Pueblos during a Discovery session with the North Central RTD Tribal subcommittee and members of their Pueblos.
Along the top of the bus are translations of the word Blue in various languages commonly spoken in the region with Spanish, Tewa and Tiwa, as well as French and German. The Tewa translations were provided by Nambè Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh, and the Tiwa translation by Picuris Pueblo.
North Central RTD is in the process of purchasing 19 new buses including ten electric vehicles (which will have its own unique Blue Bus branding). All of the buses will feature the new branding. In the past, bus purchases would have roughly a nine-month delivery time, but today due to supply chain issues that window has extended to one to two years.
The North Central RTD provides bus public transit service throughout the counties of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos and Los Alamos, and to each of the Eight Northern Pueblos and the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Its service area encompasses more than 10,000 square miles of northern New Mexico.