APTA Honors AdWheel Grand Award Winners
10/5/2026
APTA’s annual AdWheel Awards recognize the marketing, communications, and customer experience (MCX) achievements of APTA members. Additionally, this annual competition creates a structure to share best practices and raise awareness of the critical value of marketing professionals to the industry.
Three hundred and sixty entries were submitted for the 2026 AdWheel Awards and APTA is pleased to announce the 15 best entries, the 2026 AdWheel Grand Award winners. Hundreds of industry experts evaluated entries in three categories: Campaigns on Workforce Development, Increasing Ridership or Sales, and Educational Efforts.
Learn more about AdWheel and the winners at apta.com/adwheel.
Best Marketing and Communications on Workforce Development
Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), Denton County, TX
Campaign for Agency-Wide Recruitment
Fewer than 3 million annual passenger trips
DCTA faced the challenge of recruiting qualified candidates across operations, administration, finance, and technical positions while finding employees who connected with its workplace culture. Rather than focusing solely on job duties and benefits, DCTA put its employees at the center of its recruitment strategy.
The campaign gathered personal stories from employees across departments, giving prospective candidates an authentic look at why people enjoy working at DCTA. Their experiences highlighted a family-oriented environment rooted in servant leadership, trust, communication, teamwork, and professional growth. The approach also gave current employees an opportunity to share their perspectives and build pride in the organization.
https://bit.ly/DCTAadwheel26slides and https://bit.ly/DCTAadwheel26videos
Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), Columbus, OH
Roadeo Hype Reel
More than 3 million but fewer than 15 million annual passenger trips
COTA transformed its annual Roadeo competition into a larger-than-life celebration of its bus drivers, using the energy and visual language of professional sports. With the event moving to historic Crew Stadium, COTA created a cinematic hype reel designed to build excitement before the competition and showcase drivers as the skilled professionals at the heart of the agency.
The video featured dramatic lighting, slow-motion footage, and confident portraits of drivers commanding their buses, presenting the technical competition with the intensity typically reserved for elite athletes. COTA then extended the campaign beyond the event by repurposing the reel for social media, where employee-focused content consistently generates strong engagement. The strategy delivered 381,000 impressions, 280,000 video views, 7,000 engagements, and 3,400 clicks.
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro), Austin, TX
Transit Police Recruitment
More than 15 million but fewer than 50 million annual passenger trips
CapMetro faced a unique workforce challenge when it created its first-ever Transit Police Department: recruiting qualified officers while establishing a new, community-oriented approach to public safety. The agency needed to attract candidates who shared its values and could help build trust within the Austin community.
A new recruiting website, video, bilingual materials, and targeted digital advertising highlighted competitive pay, a $15,000 sign-on bonus, community policing, and opportunities for career growth. “Prospect Day” events gave candidates opportunities to meet officers and complete testing in person. The campaign generated more than 778,000 impressions and nearly 15,000 clicks, with digital advertising costs well below industry averages. Prospect Day events helped move candidates through the hiring process, resulting in 14 hires.
https://bit.ly/CapMetroAdWheel26
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Washington, DC
Hiring Day Events
More than 50 million annual passenger trips
WMATA reimagined its hiring process with a series of five invitation-only Hiring Day events designed to connect qualified candidates with departments facing workforce needs. With the agency’s traditional hiring process taking approximately 90 days or longer for some positions, the events created a more streamlined path from candidate identification to contingent offer.
Each event targeted specific talent pools, including former federal employees and experienced bus mechanics. Candidates were pre-screened through interviews, resumes were reviewed in advance, and structured interviews and skills assessments allowed hiring managers to evaluate applicants efficiently and consistently. Candidates receiving onsite offers could move through the remaining process in just a few weeks. The approach produced 45 new hires, with another 25 candidates pending full hire.
Siemens Mobility Inc., Sacramento, CA
2025 Family Day
Business Member
Siemens Mobility transformed its Sacramento manufacturing facility into a showcase for employees, families, and friends, using Family Day to strengthen pride, connection, and long-term loyalty. More than 5,000 people toured the facility, giving employees an opportunity to share their workplace and help loved ones understand the precision, innovation, and craftsmanship behind their contributions.
The event demonstrated Siemens’ investment in its people while reinforcing a sense of belonging. More than 1,500 branded items extended the company’s presence beyond the event, while recognition as a “Great Place to Work” further reinforced the pride employees felt in their organization. Family Day also introduced younger generations to careers in rail manufacturing and customer service.
https://bit.ly/SiemensAdWheel26
Best Marketing and Communications to Increase Ridership or Sales
Regional Transit Authority (RTA) of Southeast Michigan, Detroit, MI
QLINE Streetcar Activations
Fewer than 3 million annual passenger trips
RTA set out to raise awareness of the QLINE as a convenient, free way to travel to Detroit sporting events. Although the streetcar has operated along Woodward Avenue for nearly a decade, surveys showed that many residents remained unfamiliar with how to ride, where it could take them, and its connections to downtown destinations.
RTA brought Detroit Tigers mascot PAWS and local DJ Killa Squid, known for his connections to the Detroit Pistons, aboard the QLINE for two spring 2025 activations. The personalities engaged fans, showcasing the streetcar’s proximity to Detroit’s professional sports venues and its park-and-ride options. The QLINE experienced strong ridership during Tigers Opening Day and the Pistons’ 2025 NBA Playoff run. Evergreen videos extended the campaign’s reach across both sports seasons.
Caltrain, Millbrae, CA
Driving is For Dodgers Fans
More than 3 million but fewer than 15 million annual passenger trips
Caltrain turned the Giants-Dodgers rivalry into a playful case for taking transit to Oracle Park. The campaign targeted game-day travelers with a simple premise: driving can turn even Giants fans into Dodgers fans. In a short-form video, fans in Giants gear transformed into Dodgers fans the moment they got into a car, highlighting the humor and convenience of taking Caltrain instead.
The campaign became Caltrain’s fastest-growing video ever, generating more than 250,000 TikTok views in its first 24 hours and 410,000 Instagram Reel views. It also generated an estimated $411,000 in advertising value, with potential reach of 44.5 million.
https://bit.ly/CaltrainAdWheel26
Sound Transit, Seattle, WA
Building Ridership and Awareness of New Rail Lines Opening
More than 15 million but fewer than 50 million annual passenger trips
Sound Transit challenged Seattle-area residents to break out of their driving routines with a campaign built around a simple insight: sometimes “car-brain” makes people reach for their keys, even when transit could be a better option. The campaign encouraged people frustrated by traffic, parking costs, and gas prices to expand their mobility options by exploring Sound Transit’s network.
Building on the success of the expanded 1 Line and new 2 Line, the campaign broadened awareness of Sound Transit’s services while creating excitement around new ways to travel throughout the region. The campaign contributed to a 23 percent year-over-year increase in ridership and more than 23 million passenger trips across service. Link light rail ridership increased 127 percent during the campaign’s first month, while the new 2 Line recorded a 63 percent year-over-year increase.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), San Diego, CA
PRONTO Community Celebration Program for Fare Media
More than 50 million annual passenger trips
MTS reimagined the PRONTO fare card as more than a way to pay for transit, turning it into a celebration of San Diego’s communities, culture, sports, and major events. Limited-edition cards commemorated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, local sports teams, and Comic-Con.
Working with local artists and sports and entertainment partners, MTS supported each release with storytelling, print and digital media, earned coverage, and community activations. The program generated 14 published stories and 40 broadcast segments, producing more than 241,000 impressions. More than 38,720 commemorative cards were sold or distributed during the 2023–24 pilot and subsequent releases, with sales increasing after each new design.
GILLIG LLC, Livermore, CA
Website Overhaul and Video Project
Business Member
GILLIG modernized its digital presence to better serve transit agency decision-makers while showcasing the people, craftsmanship, and career opportunities behind its American-made buses. The company’s previous website no longer reflected its capabilities, making key product and support information difficult to find and offering little insight into its 135-year history.
The redesigned site created a clearer digital front door, with expanded content covering charging solutions, aftermarket parts, customer success stories, and careers. A new video further brought GILLIG’s history, manufacturing operation, and employees to life, helping prospective customers and future employees better understand the company. Results were immediate: website traffic doubled, visitors spent more time on core sections, and a new contact form generated hundreds of leads and support requests. Expanded content also increased visibility among prospective employees.
https://bit.ly/GILLIGadwheel26
Best Marketing and Communications Educational Initiative
Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA), Hamilton, OH
More than a Ride – Public Awareness Campaign
Fewer than 3 million annual passenger trips
BCRTA wanted to help Butler County residents understand that public transportation is more than a trip from one destination to another. As the agency expanded its services, many residents remained unfamiliar with what the agency offered.
The More Than a Ride campaign included testimonial videos featuring students, community members, and potential new riders sharing authentic experiences, giving audiences a personal perspective on the role transit plays in their lives. The campaign generated more than 2 million impressions and 894,961 completed video views. Website traffic also increased significantly between June and September, while BCRTA gained 219 new Facebook followers.
Metrolink, Los Angeles, CA
Metrolink Alerts
More than 3 million but fewer than 15 million annual passenger trips
Metrolink set out to give riders a more reliable way to receive real-time information about delays, disruptions, and cancellations. Previously, service updates were spread across social media, station systems, and an unreliable online train tracker, requiring riders to actively search for information.
Metrolink replaced these fragmented tools with Metrolink Alerts, a centralized platform delivering personalized SMS and email notifications. A bilingual campaign introduced riders to the service through explainer videos, onboard signage, email tutorials, digital advertising, and Union Station activations. The campaign exceeded its year-end subscription goal by 25 percent in six weeks. It generated 20 earned media placements, reaching 20.8 million people and more than $507,000 in estimated advertising value.
https://bit.ly/MetrolinkAdWheel26
Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), Charlotte, NC
Meck Connect Education Effort to Support 2025 Mobility Referendum
More than 15 million but fewer than 50 million annual passenger trips
CATS faced the challenge of explaining a countywide transportation funding proposal to Mecklenburg County residents in three months while also facing public scrutiny on its safety. The P.A.V.E. Act proposed a one-cent sales tax to fund a 30-year transportation program investing $25.3 billion in roads, rail, bus service, and microtransit. CATS developed Meck Connect as a unified education campaign, working with all seven municipalities to provide localized communications.
Maps, creative materials, digital advertising, streaming TV, billboards, print, transit advertising, and social media directed residents to MeckConnect.com for information. Messaging emphasized how the proposed investments would affect riders, drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The campaign generated more than 14 million impressions, nearly 5.2 million completed video views, and more than 10,000 social engagements. Facebook and Instagram reached 504,000 residents. On Nov. 4, voters approved the referendum, 52 to 48 percent.
TransLink, New Westminster, BC, CANADA
How ‘Empty’ Looking Bus Lanes Can Actually Move More People
More than 50 million annual passenger trips
TransLink created a video to address a common misconception that temporarily empty bus lanes represent wasted transportation investment. With more than 70 kilometers of bus lanes already built and additional projects planned, the agency needed a clear way to explain how bus priority improves reliability for everyone, moves more people, and is more sustainable.
Developed as part of an ongoing communications strategy, the video followed TransLink’s 2023 Bus Speed & Reliability Report and became a resource for public engagement around new projects. The video generated approximately 1.4 million views, including 1.09 million on Facebook and 245,000 on Instagram. More than 93 percent of YouTube and Instagram viewers were non-followers. Its success led to a podcast episode that added 569 followers.
https://bit.ly/TransLinkAdWheel26
Washington State Transit Association (WSTA), Olympia, WA
Transit is Why – Public Education Campaign
Business Member
WSTA launched Transit Is Why as a statewide effort to build public understanding of transit’s value amid threats to billions of dollars in funding and a projected $20 billion state budget deficit. The WSTA board, comprising Washington transit CEOs, united behind a public education campaign. The campaign targeted non-drivers, people with unmet transportation needs, and drivers across 151 zip codes in 17 rural, small urban, and urban communities.
WSTA gave all 31 transit agencies customizable tools, digital advertising, video storytelling, social content, and opportunities to share rider stories. The campaign generated more than 1.3 million impressions, 188,000 video views, 46,000 website visitors, and 60,000 combined ad clicks. Initiative 2117, which threatened $3 billion in transit funding, was rejected by voters, while the 2025 Legislature maintained nearly $750 million per biennium in transit investments.