(The following editorial appeared on The Virginian-Pilot website on June 15.)
NORFOLK, Va. — A few weeks back, we wrote an editorial commending reader ideas on what to name Norfolk’s soon-to-be light rail system. The consultants’ names, bought with an oodle of cash, weren’t all that special: Tide, First Rail and Wave Runner. And they passed over HAMPster, a favorite with readers.
Indeed, after the Pilot editorial page gave reader views a louder bullhorn, even officials in Washington started reconsidering HAMPster as a great name for the first leg of Hampton Roads light rail system.
James Simpson, administrator of the Federal Transit Authority. brought it up in a speech before the American Public Transit Association.
His point? Maybe local transit authorities would be smart to learn from the marketing of America’s giant firms: Geico has their Gecko, Frosted Flakes has Tony the Tiger and Apple Computers has the skinny young geek and the fat old geek.
As far as we know, nobody has taken the noble hamster. Norfolk’s light rail could have the rodent all to itself – and a hamster is far more cuddly than the local nutria. HAMPster builds on our regional Hampton Roads identity as well.
While that was our favorite, letter writers and commentors at www.bletters.com, have plenty of other ideas both smart and cheeky. Among them:
Metro Area Rail System MARS – since we hope this is the first step toward something larger.
NEXT for Norfolk EXpress Train. We can say: ‘Ride the Next’ or ‘Be the NEXT Onboard’ or ‘Get NEXT in line!’
Norfolk Urban Transit System or NUTS because there will never be enough riders.
TART, Tidewater Area Regional Train, because the long range plan is to tie together the Tidewater area. In Dallas they call it DART.
“Webster’s Ninth New College Dictionary“ defines the word zip as, “to transport with speed.” The name ZIP is easy to remember.
It connotes something as quick and easy to use (quick as fast, much faster than driving in rush hour traffic). . The spelling is simple. You may “take the ZIP.” You might “ZIP” home, “ZIP” to the office, “ZIP” into town for the ball game, or a play, or dinner, etc.
How about the Tidewater Area Xpress? That way, we can invite the tourists to enjoy our TAX.
Others just want a say in the paint scheme: A platinum mist with black lettering and orange/red trim would bring a nice historical touch of the old Norfolk Southern rail line on whose tracks the light rail cars will run.
And still another wants to name the individual trains. “We should also name individual trains. Remember the ‘Southern Crescent?’ The Norfolk & Western Powhatan Arrow? I think the first train on this dead end system should be named Don Quixote.”
Whatever your view, there is still time to make your voice heard. Hampton Roads Transit officials will present their choice to City Council on June 26.
Until then you can submit your thoughts at gohrt.com/lrt/commentform.asp.