The University of Alabama will add eight new electric buses to its Crimson Ride fleet in summer 2025. To highlight this new era of campus transportation, the University held a contest for UA students to design a graphic bus wrap for the new vehicles.
The contest guidelines explained that designs should “embody sustainability, innovation, and progress” while supporting the Crimson Ride and UA brands. Along with the design itself, each contestant was required to include a narrative that explained how their design connects to the project at large, what the designer hoped to evoke with the design, and how the design should engage the UA community.
UA senior Jake O’Reilly won the design contest, and UA senior Reese Yarbrough was selected as runner-up. The winner was announced on Thursday, Dec. 5. O’Reilly was awarded $3,000 for his winning submission, while Yarbrough was awarded $1,500 for her design. O’Reilly is part of the Minerva Portfolio Program, a two-year creative advertising concentration led by Associate Professor in Advertising and Public Relations Mark Barry.
“From the first time I saw the brief, I was excited about the opportunity to get to help shape the future of UA,” O’Reilly said. “In my design, I did everything I could to capture the spirit of the University as well as the excitement of innovation in sustainability. I am honored to have my design selected and thankful for the opportunity.”
“Through this project, The University of Alabama will enter a new phase of local emission-free and quiet campus transit, which will greatly benefit our students and the Tuscaloosa community”, said Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian, project lead and executive director of the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies at the College of Engineering.
The electric bus project is a joint effort between CAVT and UA Transportation Services. The new buses are part of a 2022 federal grant of $8 million, matched with a $2 million pledge from the University. The project also involves the installation of electric charging infrastructure for the buses, working with Shelton State Community College to train service workers for the buses, and installing sensors to learn how to optimize transit.