APTA announces public transit industry’s best marketing and communications work in first place round of 2022 AdWheel Awards

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced the first place winners of its 2022 AdWheel Awards.  

The awards go to APTA member systems and business members for outstanding marketing and communications efforts that contributed to strategic organizational goals. 

Around 300 entries were evaluated by dozens of industry experts and first place awards were presented in four categories: 

• Best marketing and communications on the COVID-19 pandemic; 
• Campaigns to support ridership or sales; 
• Educational efforts; and 
• Projects to highlight transit needs and funding. 

“I am excited to congratulate the latest AdWheel First Place winners. This year, public transportation has balanced COVID-19, fluctuating ridership and many other challenges. Under these trying circumstances, the first place AdWheel winners have used exemplary communications and marketing efforts to reach out to their communities, educate their riders and accomplish their organization’s goals, all while providing the best possible mobility services to communities across North America,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. 

Top first place winners will face a final round of judging to determine the Grand Awards, which will be presented at the APTA’s TRANSform Conference in the fall. 

Honors are awarded in four groups, based on system size. The winners honored are listed below.

Organization Name, Group (1-4) 

Best Print Media on the COVID-19 Pandemic: 

• Community Transit, Everett, WA, 2 
• Transdev, Lombard, IL, 4  

Best Electronic Media on COVID-19: 

• Embark, Oklahoma City, OK, 1 
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL, 2 
• LYNX – Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Orlando, FL, 3 
• Transdev, Lombard, IL, 4 

Best Special Event on COVID-19: 

• Santa Clarita Transit, Santa Clarita, CA, 1 
• Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, Kansas City, MO, 2  

Best Social Media on COVID-19: 

• Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, Antioch, CA, 1 
• Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA, 2 

Best Partnership on COVID-19: 

• Kitsap Transit, Bremerton, WA, 1 
• Metrolink (Southern California Regional Rail Authority), Los Angeles, CA, 2 
• Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Los Vegas, NV, 3  

Best Shoestring Tactic on COVID-19: 

• Lextran, Lexington, KY, 1 
• Chapel Hill Transit, Chapel Hill, NC, 2 
• Societe de transport de Montreal, Montreal, QC, 3 

Best Comprehensive Campaign on COVID-19: 

• Kitsap Transit, Bremerton, WA, 1 
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL, 2 
• Pace Suburban Bus, Arlington Heights, IL, 3 
• Transdev, Lombard, IL, 4 

Best Print Media to Support Ridership or Sales: 

• Ben Franklin Transit, Richland, WA, 1 
• Trinity Metro, Fort Worth, TX, 2 
• Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, TX, 3 
• Siemens Mobility, Inc., Sacramento, CA, 4  

Best Electronic Media to Support Ridership: 

• Battle Creek Transit, Battle Creek, MI, 1 
• Trinity Metro, Fort Worth, TX, 2 
• Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO, 3  

Best Special Event to Support Ridership: 

• Link Transit, Wenatchee, WA, 1 
• Sacramento Regional Transit District, Sacramento, CA, 2 
• Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, GA, 3  

Best Social Media to Support Ridership or Sales: 

• OMNITRANS, San Bernardino, CA, 2 
• Siemens Mobility, Sacramento, CA, 4  

Best Partnership to Support Ridership: 

• Sacramento Regional Transit District, Sacramento, CA, 2 
• Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Austin, TX, 3 

Best Shoestring Tactic to Support Ridership: 

• Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside, CA, 1 
• Spokane Transit Authority, Spokane, WA, 2 
• LYNX – Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Orlando, FL, 3  

Best Comprehensive Campaign to Support Ridership or Sales: 

• G-Trans, Gardena, CA, 1 
• Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Tampa, FL, 2 
• Via Metropolitan Transit, San Antonio, TX, 3 
• Cubic, San Diego, CA, 4 

Best Educational Print Media:  

• Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (WHEELS), Livermore, CA, 1 
• GoDurham Transit, Durham, NC, 2 
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, TX, 3 
• Siemens Mobility, Sacramento, CA, 4 

Best Educational Electronic Media: 

• Go Triangle, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1 
• Community Transit, Everett, WA, 2 
• Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, GA, 3 
• Transit app, Montreal, QC, 4  

Best Educational Special Event: 

• Greater Peoria Mass Transit District, Peoria, IL, 1 
• Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA, 2 
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, TX, 3 

Best Educational Social Media:  

• Salem Area Mass Transit District, Salem, OR, 1 
• Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA, 2 
• LYNX – Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Orlando, FL, 3 
• Optibus Inc., New York, NY, 4  

Best Educational Partnership:  

• Greenville Transit Authority, Greenville, SC, 1 
• C-TRAN, Vancouver, WA, 2 
• AC Transit (Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District), Oakland, CA, 3 
• TransLoc Inc., Durham, NC, 4  

Best Educational Shoestring Tactic:  

• Butler County Regional Transit Authority, Hamilton, OH, 1 
• San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), San Carlos, CA, 2 
• Spokane Transit Authority, Spokane, WA, 2 
• Milwaukee County Transit System, Milwaukee, WI, 3 
• ETA Transit Systems, Boca Raton, FL, 4 

Best Educational Comprehensive Campaign: 

• Go Triangle, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1 
• Community Transit, Everett, WA, 2 
• Edmonton Transit Service, Edmonton, AB, 3 
• Transdev, Lombard, IL, 4 

Best Print Media to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding:  

• Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (WHEELS), Livermore, CA, 1 
• Foothill Transit, West Covina, CA, 2  

Best Electronic Media to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding: 

• Charleston Area Transportation Study/ BCDCOG/HDR, North Charleston, SC, 1 
• Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, GA, 3 
• TransLoc Inc., Durham, NC, 4 

Best Special Event to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding: 

• Link Transit, Wenatchee, WA, 1 
• Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, St. Petersburg, FL, 2 
• Milwaukee County Transit System, Milwaukee, WI, 3 

Best Social Media to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding: 

• Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, Kansas City, MO, 2 
• Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, TX, 3 

Best Partnership to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding: 

• Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Jacksonville, FL, 2 
• Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, 3 

Best Shoestring Tactic to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding: 

• Laketran, Painesville, OH, 1 
• Transit app, Montreal, QC, 4 

Best Comprehensive Campaign to Highlight Transit Needs and Funding:  

• San Joaquin Regional Transit District, Stockton, CA, 1 
• Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Metro), Cincinnati, OH, 2 
• Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO, 3 
• Siemens Mobility, Sacramento, CA, 4 

Based on 2019 ridership numbers- Group 1: Less than four million annual riders; Group 2: 4 to 20 million annual riders; Group 3: More than 20 million annual riders; and Group 4: Business members.