Many in Syracuse are familiar with the red wrapped buses that navigate the Corridor each day. In fact, “Connective Corridor” has become almost synonymous with the word “bus.” Very soon, though, there will be new faces on the Corridor – three of them. SU, working in partnership with Centro, is set to roll out a fresh fleet of buses, and these innovative designs are a radical shift from the first generation, both outside and in.

This past semester, fifth-year industrial design students Ana Mihai, Heidi Olean and Cat King lent their talents to create unique wraps for the buses that Centro was getting ready to put on the route. 

“This was not the original plan,” confides Robbi Farschman, director of the Connective Corridor. “The wraps have a life-expectancy of five years, and the first ones were just put on in 2007.”

The buses on which they were installed, however, were smaller-capacity buses that began having difficulty handling the number of riders at peak hours, especially when originating at south campus. Parking & Transit Services, which coordinates transportation on campus, worked with Centro to secure larger buses, which were placed on the route in January 2011.

While these could have gone unadorned, Farschman is quick to tell folks that she views the Corridor as a movement to elevate and celebrate art and culture in the community, and the buses are a key link. Denise Heckman, the industrial design professor who oversaw Mihai, Olean and King, agrees. “The idea is to create a spectacle, to stop people in their tracks.”

While each of the wraps is distinctive – one sports brightly colored dots, another gives a nod to Syracuse’s transportation history, and the third boasts a bus riding a wave – they each also incorporate common elements that will soon mark the Connective Corridor. These include the “USE” identity (developed by highlighting “use” in Syracuse and a playful way to get people to consider what they can use – for instance, the bus instead of a car), certain colors that have been selected for the route, and a special typeface called “Ohm.” 

Interior design professor Jen Hamilton has taken these so-called “spectacles” a step further. Working with a couple of students in the spring of 2009, she initiated a project that began with a survey which suggested that riders sought a stress-free environment. Building on this, Hamilton and her students fashioned bus interiors that put aesthetics and comfort at the fore.

The results? A “hydration” bus with frothy waves and inviting, deep blue seats. An “ode to Syracuse” bus with iconic Syracuse buildings, a whimsical ceiling, and playful fabrics. And, a “museum” bus with arched ceilings and gilded picture frames at the windows, showing passengers the world outside as ever-changing art.

“When I showed the designs to people, the general response was, ‘Centro’s never going to let you do this.’ Actually, they’ve been amazing!” Farschman shares. “They’ve met with us on several occasions, dug up specs, let us on buses to take measurements, and have truly partnered with us to make this work.”

If you want to get a closer look, we suggest hopping on during Th3, Syracuse’s City Wide Art Open. On the third Thursday of each month, many art and cultural venues are open later and have reduced or free admission. Equally important, most are on the Connective Corridor bus route or just a few blocks off.

Connective Corridor buses are operated and maintained by CNYRTA Centro and are a partnership with Syracuse University. They link University Hill with downtown Syracuse and are provided free-of-charge to everyone in the community.