FACT rebrands to increase ridership

The Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation (FACT) officially launched its rebranding campaign on Thursday during the monthly meeting of the Fayette County Commissioners.

Along with FACT Director Rudy Dutko, Commissioners Vince Vicites and Scott Dunn unveiled FACT’s new logo, which will begin appearing on its buses, advertisements and other materials in the coming months.

Dutko said he began the logo design process after being hired last July.

“When I interviewed for the position, the commissioners mentioned the need to revitalize and modernize FACT by bringing it into the 21st century, so that really planted the seed,” Dutko said. “It was quite a lengthy process, with many rough drafts and meetings, to get to where we are today.”

The logo was designed by West Media Group of Latrobe and isn’t the only change coming to FACT.

The public will also notice new print, radio and digital advertising; a new FACT jingle; modern video projects; social media campaigns and an updated website.

Dutko said the state Department of Transportation saw an industry-wide dip in public transit usage following the onset of COVID-19 and asked its county transit operators, including FACT, to take proactive measures to increase ridership.

“Our goal is to reintroduce ourselves to the community through a fresh look and new advertising mediums,” Dutko said. “We’re trying to let the public know who we are and what we can do for them by re-energizing our organization.”

Dutko said FACT has a very strong history with many great employees and accomplishments, but they also want to always try to improve and avoid repetition.

“The first connection most people make with FACT is seeing our buses out on the roads in their communities,” Dutko said. “When you see something over and over again, you eventually start to ignore it, but something new can catch your eye and, hopefully, pique your curiosity enough to visit our website or our Facebook and take a look at us through a new lens.”

Dunn said the campaign aligns perfectly with Fayette County’s reputation as a great place to live, work and play.

“This rebranding correlates with our commitment to move FACT forward, increase ridership and have a better impact on public transportation in the county,” Dunn said.

“It’s been a number of years since any major changes have taken place, so this rebranding process is necessary,” Vicites said. “This will help increase ridership and take FACT to the next level. We have one of the best rural transportation programs in Pennsylvania, and we want to continue to make it the best it can be.”

Commissioner Dave Lohr, who was not present during Thursday’s meeting, said Fayette County residents have relied on FACT for all their transportation needs for many years, but he’s always striving to grow and improve services.

“With new leadership at FACT comes a fresh perspective, and the new logo reflects that fresh perspective as we move forward to better serve our residents and our communities,” Lohr said.

To learn more, visit FACT at www.FactBus.com or www.Facebook.com/FayetteCoFACT.