Logo

  As the Midlands Transit Riders Association was beginning to take shape, I felt that we needed a logo to distinguish us from the Comet.  Our business cards showed a generic bus on the road.  We needed something more unique.

 I contacted Richland School District One for help.  After all, the bus system (Comet) had a contest for their naming.  I spoke with the head of the Art classes for the District, and she said she would ask the schools to suggest a logo.  First prize would be a 30-day bus pass.  I waited a month and never heard anything.  I had then seen a story on the news about the Transitions Homeless Shelter that had an Art class.  A homeless person would benefit more from the 30-day bus pass, so I made an appointment to talk to the man in charge of the class.  We had a nice talk.  I told him that I had been homeless, so he took an interest in what I wanted from his class.  I never heard back.

 While I was patiently waiting for either group to respond, we had a quarterly meeting of the association.  I asked those that were there if they had any suggestions for a logo.  We got some suggestions, but they just didn't seem appropriate.  So, I asked a friend, who was a graphic designer, if he knew of anyone who could design a logo for us and would work for free.  He said he would give it a go.  My friend was a professional.  I told him we couldn't afford to pay him.  He told me he would do it out of friendship.  He designed a logo that was an abstract picture of motion.  When I presented it to the Board of Directors, I got criticism that it looked like slices of pizza.  There were some on the Board who would object to everything.  They suggested that I put it to a vote at the next membership quarterly meeting.  

 When the meeting came around, I put it on the agenda for a vote.  Some of the members present wanted to know why their suggestions weren't being voted on.  I explained that we discussed those suggestions, and they didn't seem viable.  There was opposition to the new logo, but it passed.  Anyone wonder why I needed professional counseling during my stint as President of the MTRA?  Those who opposed the logo would also say the sky was green, when it was blue.  And, I offered the 30-day bus pass to the artist, but he suggested we give it to a rider, so we had a drawing for it.  Someone was happy to get it.  I was just happy that we had a logo.  It wasn't slices of pizza.  I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.