Could your transit trip use a makeover?

Would you love to see an eye-catching mural where your bland bus shelter is now? Do you think a freshly-painted crosswalk could smooth your steps to work? Or would you just like to know when the next ride is set to arrive, thankyouverymuch?

In 2014, ioby partnered with TransitCenter to launch the first Trick Out My Trip—a campaign to equip citizens nationwide with the tools they need to make small but crucial changes to their local transit experience. From an enthusiastic lot of submissions, we chose ten awesome local leaders who share our belief that regular riders—people who take transit every day, know the routes, and how they fit within the system—have the ability to improve their transit experience quickly, cheaply, and outside the lengthy processes of capital planning and construction. Take a look at the fabulous ideas they initiated and the progress they’ve made in our first-year report.

Now, we’re positively thrilled to be rolling out our second annual Trick Out My Trip. With fresh funding from TransitCenter, we’re again taking proposals from neighborhood leaders with ideas for improving the mobility experience where they live. All selected participants will run their own crowd-resourcing campaign to fund their projects—but ioby will be there to help every step of the way.

Like the first time around, we’ll be keeping a keen eye out for projects that are poised to deliver not only a positive immediate outcome, but that will also help build long-term systemic change. As our project leaders learned the first time around, even small positive actions can help build relationships with transit agencies. Government-led improvements to transit are much needed, but they can be even better when they’re complemented, and informed, by the faster, “lighter” changes that only on-the-ground residents—who live their local scene every day—can initiate.

Take northwest Denver’s Great Paths, a project to identify top destinations in the neighborhood and promote the ped-friendly path that links them. Or Walk This Way, L.A., which is creating street signs that show the walking times between different destinations to change the perception that many places are too far to go by foot. We love placemaking projects, too—like Memphis’s Bus Stop Love, which asserts: “We cannot change the weather but we can improve the commute!” Bus Stop Love is building a beautiful bus shelter that will celebrate the artistic legacy of the city’s Soulsville neighborhood—and help make riders’ wait times feel shorter, even if they aren’t. Ditto for Lithonia Ride to the Future, for which residents of this Georgia town came together to improve a downtown bus stop—with a bench, bulletin board, and trash can—where before there was only a bus stop sign. Volunteers will also beautify the surrounding area and keep it clean. You can already feel the difference!

Need inspiration and tips to craft your own great submission? Check out our “5 Projects Any Community Can Do To Improve the Transit Experience” guide.

To be eligible to receive matching funds, you must fill out our quick-and-easy idea form by May 20, 2016, and to participate, you must agree to our terms. And be sure to read these additional details on how the match will work, deadlines to know, and other requirements for eligibility.

Want a bit more background info? Read about how ioby works. Or if it’s the personal touch you’re after, you can email David Weinberger, ioby’s City Partnerships Director, at david@ioby.org with any questions.

We can’t wait to hear you how you want to trick out your trip this year!