VaxTransit: Connecting Communities to Vaccines

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Better Public Health with Buses and Trains

When the VaxTransit campaign began in January 2021, just 15 transit providers in 9 states offered free rides for COVID-19 vaccines. Mass Transit magazine published my call-to-action: Getting the COVID-19 vaccine shouldn’t require a car, and I began outreach to transit providers throughout the United States and Canada to encourage them to:

  1. Provide free rides to vaccines.
  2. Host vaccine clinics at transit hubs.
  3. Deploy mobile vaccine clinics to help public health teams bring vaccines directly to communities.

By early March, more than 250 agencies in 25 states responded to my outreach and announced free rides for vaccines. After the American Rescue Plan became law, with $30B in emergency federal funding for transit, the number nearly doubled: 450+ agencies in 41 states provided free rides for vaccines. Today, more than 580 agencies in the US and Canada provide free VaxTransit rides, vaccine clinics at transit hubs, and mobile vaccine units to get shots in arms, beat the virus, and rebuild ridership.

Campaign Toolkit

Build awareness of your VaxTransit program in your community.

  1. Post details prominently on your website, and on regional trip planning tools shared by multiple transit providers.
  2. Share on social media with the #VaxTransit hashtag.
  3. Post information on buses and trains, and at stations.
  4. Ask public health officials to share information through their channels, especially during the vaccine registration process.
  5. Share with local media for coverage.

Logos & Graphics

Use these VaxTransit logos for customer communication and marketing materials.

  • EPS (52KB, best for print)
  • PNG (29KB, web)
  • SVG (11KB, web/print)
  • EPS (60KB, best for print)
  • PNG (30KB, web)
  • SVG (13KB, web/print)
  • Do not alter logos in any way
  • Logos are high-contrast for accessibility
  • Margin space equal to height of “VaxTransit” is required around logo
  • Use light background for majority of graphic area
  • Logos may not be used in any manner likely to cause confusion among customers, or in any manner that disparages or discredits any transit agency, or the VaxTransit campaign.
  • Logos may not be modified in any way that substantially alters their content, subject or meaning. 
  • Use of a logo must be accompanied by a credit to “VaxTransit/Stewart Mader.”

Examples

Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) created a dedicated page on its website for the statewide Rides to Community Immunity program, and highlighted the program in The Loop, its weekly video update.

Media Coverage

🇺🇸 United States: Free Rides for COVID-19 Vaccines

Please check with each transit provider directly for additional details, eligibility, and instructions. Know an agency that should be added to this list? Please share details.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Washington, DC

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

🇨🇦 Canada: Free Rides for COVID-19 Vaccines

Please check with each transit provider directly for additional details, eligibility, and instructions. Know an agency that should be added to this list? Please share details.

Alberta

British Columbia

Ontario

Additional Resources

Stewart Mader works with agencies and policy makers to build better transit, from advocacy to operations, apps to maps, and wayfinding to payment. He previously served as the first Chief Customer Experience Officer for NJ Transit‘s 270 million annual passenger trips, and guided customer experience for the Port Authority of NY & NJ‘s 80 million annual transit riders as Chair of PATH Riders Council. His insights appear in Mass Transit, Mobility Lab, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other leading publications.

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