For Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Contact: Danielle Glagola
(831) 420-2550
dglagola@scmtd.com

METRO’s “One Ride at a Time” Wins Big at the APTA AdWheel Awards

Campaign Recognized with Two Awards at the American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Awards

Santa Cruz, CA (Feb. 26, 2025): The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has presented the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) with two prestigious AdWheel Awards at the annual Marketing, Communications, and Customer Experience Workshop. The award recognizes One Ride at a Time (ORAT), METRO’s campaign to showcase the environmental benefits of transit, encourage bus ridership and protect Santa Cruz County’s extraordinary natural resources, as the association’s Best Marketing and Communications Educational Initiative in Print Media and overall Comprehensive Campaign.

APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 public and private sector member organizations and the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. The AdWheel Awards recognizes the marketing, communications, and customer experience efforts of its members to raise awareness of the value of public transportation.

“Winning two AdWheel Awards underscores the dedication and innovation of our team and highlights the powerful role public transit plays in protecting our natural environment. We are truly honored to receive this recognition from our peers,” said Corey Aldridge, METRO CEO. “Our One Ride at a Time campaign demonstrates how every ride on a METRO bus helps safeguard the breathtaking Monterey Bay and its diverse wildlife.”

One Ride at a Time is a campaign that gives everyone in Santa Cruz County an opportunity to protect our extraordinary natural resources just by simply riding the bus. Since January 2023, every logged ride on a METRO bus donates to local non-profit partners in protecting the environment. All riders have to do is hop on board, log their rides and GO Santa Cruz will make a financial contribution to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Bay of Life Fund as part of GO Santa Cruz’s ridesharing incentive program run by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC). To promote the campaign METRO has gradually released buses wrapped with iconic images of the Monterey Bay, taken by renowned photographers like Frans Lanting, that feature inspiring images of whales, sea otters, redwoods, and more.

“We are incredibly grateful to APTA for recognizing our One Ride at a Time campaign. This acknowledgment validates our efforts to merge public transit with environmental advocacy. Our campaign now proudly features 30 bus wraps showcasing breathtaking images of Monterey Bay’s harbor seals, falcons, orca whales, and more. These visuals are a testament to the natural beauty we’re committed to protecting,” said Danielle Glagola, METRO Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.

Thanks to these two APTA AdWheel Awards METRO’s One Ride at a Time campaign has earned eight esteemed marketing awards, both internationally and across North America since the campaign first launched in 2023.

For more information on METRO visit scmetro.org or to learn more about METRO’s One Ride at a Time program visit scmetro.org/onerideatatime.

About Us

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) Established in 1968, METRO’S mission is to provide environmentally sustainable transportation to Santa Cruz County. METRO directly operates county-wide, fixed-route and Highway 17 commuter service, with connections to Santa Clara County and Monterey Salinas Transit at our Watsonville Transit Center. The agency also operates ParaCruz paratransit service. Today METRO operates a fleet of 104 buses on 20 fixed routes and 32 paratransit vehicles.

Every ride on a METRO bus takes cars off the road, significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and supports economic opportunity and quality of life in our community. Moving into the future, METRO strives to meet the following goals:

  • Increase transit ridership to 7 million trips annually within the next five years
  • Transition to a zero-emissions fleet with a mix of hydrogen and electric vehicles
  • Increase affordable housing at METRO-owned transit centers to 175 units in the next 10 years.

For more information, visit scmetro.org.