As a daily TTC commuter, I can’t help but notice the poor design of the 2009 Metropass. Its design has been pretty poor as far back as I remember, but lately it has been getting a lot busier.
When I saw the January Adult pass, it reminded me of everything that is miserable about January in Toronto – gray skies, traffic on St. Clair, packed streetcars, unbearable cold and hospital pajamas. This mood is further reinforced by TTC through inconsistent type, bold borders, hideous out-of-place patterns, lack of a balanced grid and inconsistent spelling . You can view a collage of 2006 passes here (Warning: the link might send you into an acid-inspired haze).
My aim was to try and design a pass that is versatile, simple, can carry different messaging and mood with every month, is collectible and says something about Toronto. At the same time, any numbers of security features can be used in combination with the design: die-cuts, clear windows, pearl lamination and embossing. I also looked at information posted on the front of each pass and removed it in case it could easily live on the back of the card.
TTC has a unique identity that should not be diluted by poor typography, photography and design. Instead of resorting to glum transit photos, which look like they came from a police report, TTC should reach out to local talent for monthly pass inspiration. In my case, I tried to think about what TTC stands for (aside from fare hikes and recent crime) and what the pass gets you. In my series, I looked at 12 unique Toronto areas and highlighted a new one each month. This varied visual approach can extend to monthly illustrations, subway musician profiles, station tile art, historical TTC photos, local artists, cuisines, cultures – the possibilities are endless.
The current pass design lacks personality – it’s disappointing, given that TTC is the third most heavily-used urban mass transit system in North America. By no means this is a refined design, but merely a finger pointing in the right direction. Maybe someone at TTC will read this and try to inject some life into the $109 piece of plastic.
For inspiration I used existing TTC identity elements, TTC signage, maps and for the colour base – a 12-step color wheel. Colors from radically different swatches were applied to back-to-back months – the drivers need to identify one colour per month without confusing it with the last month’s pass. I used black and white treatment for added readability. As a font I used Toronto Subway (Bold and Regular) – a font based on the lettering originally used for TTC station identification and signage.
You can also view the Flickr set or digg this story.
Edit: My Metropass has been featured on Torontoist.
Edit: There has been an announcement by TTC on new security features with suspiciously similar ideas.
Note: Unfortunately, since it’s a bitter, gray Toronto January, the photos of the areas were sourced online. It’s nearly impossible to credit everyone for each piece. The photo for High Park was purchased on iStock. Once the weather clears up I’d like to transit around and take my own. If you are one of the photographers or have a photo you’d like to share, feel free to email me or post in the comments below.
Go figure, there’s no images for us folks out here in Scarborough =P.
These are really great! It was always almost a sick excitement for me when I lived in Toronto to find out just how much uglier next month’s Metropass would be. The TTC would do well to look to talented designers like yourself in the future– not just for metropasses, but for daypasses and their own subway ads as well.
I think they need the raised gold lettering part to counter counterfeiting.
Plus I think they want the “no passback” thing prominently displayed so bus drivers can easily point to it and say “This is why you and your punk friend have to get off the bus”.
But your designs are much less “busy”
Thanks for the comments!
Dasani, I will try and work some in :)
Allene, I agree. I think Toronto and TTC included need to look to various experts in the field more often – public space designers, geriatric experts – public space needs to be exactly that, public and well-designed for a good daily experience.
Mike, I think there are other methods other than gold lettering – most bus drivers don’t look at the pass in detail. Having an iridescent band, color shifting or 3D pearl overlay, a see-through window or small text that is readable up front is a much better tactic (all are used in currencies around the world). The way the gold lettering looks now can be easily replicated (from my experience in print).
The “pass back” copy can be easily put on the back – the bus driver has the right to remove punks from the bus at any time as it is.
I’m so glad to hear that I wasn’t the only person who was mortified by this year’s iterations of the Metropass. I suspect that what has happened is that design elements were added at each stage of planning. That said, I think starting over from scratch once all the elements have been determined — as you’ve done — is far more worthwhile than trying to bring cohesion to a piece that was designed to show far fewer elements. Actually having an eye for good photography certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
[...] of you have read about my TTC Metropass redesign project and how passionate I am about the awful pass design. Forward to this week. I purchased the February [...]
why not make Metropasses collectable? Use art/images/poems/archive material of Toronto on them?
This makes me wish I lived in Toronto even more now.
Mississauga should take a hint from this.
Try putting 09 where you have the dot. Bonus points if they form a larger image when put together.
Very nice, I’m glad to see that there are many others who feel that graphic design should be more seriously considered by municipal organizations. The TTC has a responsibility to communicate clearly and quickly, and it wouldn’t hurt them to make their infographics attractive as well.
[...] Giambrone, have you been reading my rants about the Metropass design? Hmmm? Please don’t screw this up – there are a lot of talented designers in the city who [...]
did you ever submit these to the TTC? they are gorgeous! so much better than what they have. i really think you should try submitting…
i bought my first metropass ever today… i’ve always been able to ride my bike everywhere and TTC it occassionally, but i got a job in north Toronto, so now it’s a bit far to ride… anyway, the thing is effing hideous. i know that i’m paying for the service and not the pass, but jeez. for $109, you’d think they could make it a wee bit more attractive.
I didn’t realize the new passes looked like such… I stop buying them awhile ago. I almost prefer the older psychedelic colour bands, at least those were cheesy with some… character. I always thought the passes can use a facelift since we are now in the 2000+ not 1950s when the subway started running… even if they just change the type like yours! It’s that easy!
Not just the pass, TTC need a complete re-branding and move with the time.