A new kind of transit in downtown

The Regional Transportation Commission has a lot riding on its new bus service in downtown Reno and it turned to the private sector for some help.

Riders may see the new Sierra Spirit bus service simply as a convenient way to cover the loop from the Ninth Street entrance to University of Nevada, Reno, on the north to the Nevada Museum of Art on the south.

But RTC views the service as a critical first step toward its goal of doubling the use of public transit in the Truckee Meadows during the next 30 years.

The service drew 1,200 riders in its first week.

RTC projects 500,000 will use the service in its first year.

Sierra Spirit looks and feels like anything but a traditional bus service.

Throughout this month, for instance, a couple of fresh floral arrangements decorate each of the Sierra Spirit buses.

While nobody ever has paid close attention to the question, RTC believes it is the first time that floral arrangements have been featured on transit agency buses in the United States.

The flowers come from St.

Ives Florist and Councilwoman Toni Harsh and are intended to encourage use of the new service during Artown events.

"We love Artown and want to help make the entire experience as fragrant and beautiful as possible," said Christine Perry, who manages St.

Ives Florist.

Even more important will be the graphic identity of the new service, which was developed by Reno's Ding Communications.

The look for the Sierra Spirit buses, as well as signs and printed materials, features a pinwheel design developed by Ding.

"We wanted the identity to reflect a graphic tone that honors the region's beauty, while catching people's eye," said Greg Fine, a principal in Ding Communications.

"The colors represent the sky, the sun the greenery and the vitality of the area."

The trick, however, is developing a graphic look that works equally well on brochures and on buses.

"It's different from just a billboard," said Shelli Fine, one of the principals of Ding Communications.

"You're dealing with contours." And Greg Fine noted that the design needed to deal with some mundane considerations how, for instance, would it incorporate the louvers on the back of the bus into the graphic presentation? Terry McCloud, a marketing associate with RTC, said the strong colors in the design of the Sierra Spirit buses is important to cut through the visual clutter of downtown streets.

It's important, he explained, that riders be able to distinguish the Sierra Spirit buses from the tour buses, casino vans and other transit vehicles on the street.

"You're inundated with a lot of colors," he said.

At the same time, McCloud said, RTC wanted a name and look for the new service that would combine a concern for the region's quality of life while reflecting Reno's playfulness.

"We wanted something that was going to be fun and appealing," he said.

RTC moved quickly on the service to make sure it was rolling before Artown events and before Retrac disrupts downtown traffic.

The new service operates on a 10-minute schedule and stops within a half block of downtown's attractions.

"It was a fast track," said Greg Fine, who added that fast projects often are the best.

"If it drags out, it loses its momentum."

While a federal program to reduce air pollution will pay 95 percent of the costs of the new service for the first three years, RTC will need to build enough support for Sierra Spirit to pay for it locally after the first three years.

Rides on the service are free this month; after that, adult fares will be 50 cents.