CATS (Charlotte Area Transit System)
Annual Transit Pass Design Contest
I love my local transit service, and public transportation broadly. One way that I express this affection is participating in the annual CATS Transit Pass Design Contest for my home city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Through my designs, I seek to help generate an image of public transit as not only an essential service, but also a glamorous expression of a harmonious community that seeks to serve all its members through equity and accessibility in movement. I also advocate for transit access as an active member of Sustain Charlotte.
Mockup of transit pass printed with design.
Colours used:
Blue
The blue used is similar to the blue used in CATS iconography. It also evokes the ocean, an essential component of marine life on earth. Blue as the background also indicates the skyline of Charlotte, which is often a deep blue of glass and steel.
Green
Green is associated with life, growth, renewal, and environmentalism. When in gradient with blue, it also evokes a natural breeze, free from pollutants.
White
A blueish white is more visually safe than pure white, and reflects clouds and technology. Innovation through technology is the key to climate justice - the anthropogenic nature of climate change demonstrates that we can and must also have anthropogenic solutions.
2023 Entry
(not selected)
Theme:
Go Green on Transit!
The use of intersecting stripes in gradient is my modern take on a tartan design, which traditionally represented family/clan connection in Scottish culture. Through this, I seek to communicate that that sort of mutual solidarity can go beyond parochialism and extend to our city as a whole.
I did not shy away from the image of Earth as a heart - though it may evoke a certain idealism, I believe that leaning into idealism will ultimately give environmentalism the social capital to succeed. Social Justice Warrior should be a title of honour, and it should be no shameful thing to want the world to be good and fair.
Cringe is dead, long live the cringe!
Specifications:
1 ¹⁵⁄₁₆ in. y-length
2 in. x-height
A key aspect of my entry is the use of the disability pride flag, created in 2019 (this revised version was created in 2021) by Ann Magill to represent and celebrate the disabled community.
As a member of this community and user of the CATS Paratransit service myself, I chose to include this flag on one of the buses to depict an STS bus.
I am an avid user of bikes, scooters, and other alternate means of transport. There must also be consideration of the needs of disabled people who may not be able to use these tools as we progress in pursuit of a green future. Eco-solidarity above eco-fascism will save humanity.