It’s another fine day to get away, there’s so much to do

It’s so easy when you take the bus, VIA VIA! VIA VIA!

On a great day to go and play, maybe do something new

It’s so easy when you take the bus, VIA VIA! VIA VIA!  VIA Metropolitan Transit ’80s commercial

Buster, VIA Metropolitan Transit’s official mascot, and his brothers and sisters no longer sing jingles in TV commercials for the transit agency like they did in the ’80s. And now, in a new marketing strategy, VIA is moving away from its purple-fuchsia-orange, angled, futuristic-looking logo.

The transit agency has unveiled a new logo — an all-red creation of similar, angled, sans typography with a boomerang-shaped metallic arrow pointing the way toward VIA’s multimodal future (I assume that’s what they are going for). Reminds me of the Star Fleet insignia from “Star Trek.”

The new logo was unveiled at VIA’s board meeting Tuesday night, the last by Henry Munoz III as chairman, and which also was attended by Buster, though he didn’t stay till the end. VIA is spreading the word on its new branding through TV spots, print ads (flip to page A5 of today’s Express-News), outdoor displays and online media.

VIA’s heading in a new and modern direction, it says, touting the recent e-fare collection system, mobile services like Go VIA VIA and texting, rapid bus VIA Primo, the proposed streetcar system downtown, the introduction of compressed natural gas vehicles, all-electric vehicles, new bus shelters, transit centers and park-and-ride facilities as evidence.

“These improvements offer real reasons for people to get out of their cars and ride VIA,” VIA president and CEO Jeff Arndt said in a press release. “The new improvements make transportation better for everyone, no matter where you live in San Antonio.”

A request for the cost of the new logo was not immediately returned by VIA officials.

The new logo was mostly panned on the Downtown Blog’s Facebook page, a strange and wonderful sub-realm of this blog’s.

“What is this? The 80’s?,” Matthew Jimenez wrote.

“The blanding of San Antonio continues. At least the old logo had character,” Stu Johnson wrote.

“So VIA is now a blend between an airlines and a rental car company?,” Rick Canfield wrote.

The logo also drew more than 15 “likes.”

But enough of that  back to Buster!

Have any downtown news, event info, hearsay, tips, celebrations, complaints, boastings, updates, breaking news, memories, old photos, etc.? Want to write a guest blog? E-mail me.

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