Rebranding a transit agency.

The fastest-growing metro in the Midwest, Sioux Falls asked Via to help make public transit the preferred mode of transportation in the city.

We reimagined and redesigned the entire Sioux Area Metro (SAM) fixed-route bus network — cutting 12 bus lines down to 9, changing them from numbers to colors, and introducing microtransit vans to go where the bus didn’t. Via SAM On Demand also serves passengers with mobility limitations. Now, 100% of Sioux Falls residents have access to public transit, as compared to only 40% before.

This brand system encompassed it all: printed maps and timetables, a full scale rider marketing package, vehicle wraps, bus stop signage, social ads, video content, thought leadership editorials, a brand new website, and even branded sugar cookies.

Putting the (thousands of) pieces together.

Vehicles.
In-bus advertising.
Website.

A critical part of this project was overhauling an outdated website — fast. In a few short weeks, the digital team designed, wrote, and developed a brand new, user-friendly site that reflected the new brand: https://siouxareametro.info/.

We repurposed existing modules and developed new ones, allowing even non-technical editors to make easy updates.
Rider comms.
Events.
App branding.
Mapping & wayfinding.
Editorial.
Bus stop signage.

Creating an easy-to-understand and accessible design system was paramount for this rebrand. Changing the lines from numbers to colors, swapping fonts, and including braille are just a few design decisions that made sure the system worked for all riders.
Social media.