Metrolinx unveils new bus wrap ahead of Toronto Pride parade
Specially wrapped GO Bus hits the road as part of this year’s Pride celebrations.
Jun 6, 2022
It’s a creative design aimed to celebrate the in-person return of one of the biggest celebrations for the City of Toronto.
Metrolinx is unveiling this year’s special edition Pride GO Bus wrap that will be the centrepiece of the transit agency’s Pride parade delegation.
The newly wrapped bus is all about highlighting and amplifying intersectionality and the diversity that the LGBTQIA2S+ community represents.
“All aboard! Everybody in!” is the theme for Metrolinx’s specially designed bus wrap. (Metrolinx photo)
“I really wanted there to be lots of special moments and surprises in the design, so it’s a real treat for the eyes,” says Tim Singleton, senior integrated design specialist at Metrolinx, responsible for creating this year’s design.
Singleton says the artwork features nods to Queer history and culture, drawing inspiration from queer artists such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring as well as Metrolinx and the concept of safe journeys, acceptance and love.
“I wanted to move beyond the traditional rainbow palette and bring in even more colours with unexpected combinations, which to me really speaks to the diversity and magic of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.”
The new wrap is meant to be bright, vivid, and proud — without relying on just the rainbow as the dominant visual element. (Metrolinx photo)
2022 marks the tenth year in which Metrolinx staff have been marching in the Toronto Pride parade, and for the last five years the transit agency has been an official partner of Pride Toronto.
In the past, GO Transit and UP Express have had the pleasure of bringing customers to the main event and even taking part with a GO Bus in the parade.
One of the Toronto Pride parade themes this year is environmental sustainability, where all vehicles participating in the parade must be electric or hybrid, which means for the very first time, an electric GO Bus will be rolling down Yonge Street.
A second double-decker GO Bus with the same creative wrap will also be in service for a full year along various routes and will be brought along with a wrapped GO Transit Customer Protective Services vehicle to other Pride festivities and events across the region.
All sides of the vehicle are packed with detail and colour. (Metrolinx photo)
This year, Metrolinx expects to have up to 200 employees march in this year’s Toronto Pride parade, each wearing the agency’s “Ride with Pride” t-shirts, and they’ll be joined by none other than GO Bear who will be debuting a brand-new Pride-themed outfit.
Keep an eye out for the newly designed double-decker GO Bus on your GO routes as well as the wrapped EV bus on the day of the parade.
The big event, the Toronto Pride parade, is happening June 26, 2022.
by Nitish Bissonauth Metrolinx bilingual editorial content advisor
