Brand Guide

SECTION 1: WHO WE ARE

Established in 1974, Arrowhead Transit operates as the primary provider of public transportation in the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota. As the largest rural public transportation system in the state, we are committed to delivering reliable services to residents across 10 counties:

Aitkin
Carlton
Chisago
Cook
Itasca
Isanti
Koochiching
Lake
Pine
St. Louis

Mission Statement

To provide affordable, safe, accessible public transportation and support independent living and self-reliance.

Vision Statement

Arrowhead Transit will reduce barriers to all people served while making connections with the communities we serve regarding healthcare, education, employment, and recreational opportunities.

Values

Service That Meets Community Needs: Committed to providing affordable, reliable, and accessible transportation.
People First: Professional, courteous staff who promote respect, compassion, and trust.
Safety and Accountability: Maintaining the highest ethical standards and best practices.
Community Leadership and Collaboration: Working together to address transportation barriers.

SECTION 2: BRANDING

Branding Goal

To promote our brand as an agency that provides affordable, safe, and accessible public transportation while supporting independent living and self-reliance.

Logo

Primary: Used for most applications.

Download Primary Logo

Secondary: Includes the tagline “Your Ride.”

Download Secondary Logo

Color Palette

Color	Hex Code	CMYK
Maroon	#8b0a00	C: 0%, M: 97%, Y: 100%, K: 50%
Dark Grey	#717073	C: 0%, M: 2%, Y: 0%, K: 68%
Black	#000000	C: 75%, M: 68%, Y: 67%, K: 90%
White	#fdfdfd	C: 0%, M: 0%, Y: 0%, K: 0%

Typography

The logo is standalone and not to be typed.

Usage Rules

Use “Arrowhead Transit” as the official name when referring to our organization. Clearly state that “Arrowhead Transit” should only be used as a noun when referring to the organization or its services. Prohibit the use of variations or adaptations that may dilute the brand identity. Do not use the term “Arrowhead Transit” as a verb.

Trademark Guidelines

The Arrowhead Transit name and logo are trademarked and should be used with care to avoid any confusion or misrepresentation. Guidelines on proper logo usage, size, color, and spacing are outlined in the official Arrowhead Transit Branding Guide.

Consistent Messaging

All external and internal communications should adhere to the established brand voice and messaging guidelines. Consistency in language and tone is crucial to maintaining a unified brand image.

Logo Misuse

Refer to our Logo Misuse Samples HERE.

Embroidery

Refer to our Embroidery Samples HERE.

AEOA

Arrowhead Transit is a program and service offered by the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency – Virginia, MN.

MnDOT

Arrowhead Transit is funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

SECTION 3: OUR BRAND VOICE

Writing

We write to make Arrowhead Transit feel considerate. That’s our team’s philosophy. And these are the guidelines for our practice.

Highlights

The Arrowhead Transit voice is clear, concise, and human—like a friendly, intelligent coworker. Sentence case—please use it. But don’t use the Oxford comma or ampersands unless it’s absolutely necessary. No periods after headlines; go light on exclamation points!

Voice and Tone

The Arrowhead Transit voice is the heart of our brand—it shines through our words, design, sound, and overall experience with Arrowhead Transit. It sounds like your friendly, intelligent coworker: clear, concise, and human.

Clear:

Clarity is a courtesy to our readers. We respect their time and intelligence, answer questions before they’re asked, and don’t get in the way of their actions. Saying what you mean is the best way to say something meaningful.

Concise:

We give every word purpose. We’re thoughtful and intentional with our words. We don’t get carried away with ourselves.

Human:

We are characterful, but we never let character overwhelm content. What we have to say is infinitely more important than being admired for the way we say it. We like the people we’re talking to, so we keep things warm and conversational. We add delight when the moment is right and reward the curious with pleasant surprises.

Copy Principles

These help us uphold the unique Arrowhead Transit voice and tone, and to align our copy across partners and functions. This ultimately leads to better—and more efficient—reviews and decisions. Our copy principles are:

Don’t Make Me Think
Be Approachable
Make It Memorable
Respect Our Readers
Be Compelling

Language

It should go without saying, but it’s still worth stating: Never use exclusionary terms, cultural appropriation, ableist or misgendering language, or anything that could be interpreted as a slur. This includes references to pop culture, the use of slang, most abbreviations, or anything else that might resonate with only a few people, but not most people.

Emoji

We encourage using emoji in the right place and time, such as when they can add meaning or delight to what we say. However, never use emoji in place of words in a sentence.

The Arrowhead Transit Name

Since the Arrowhead Transit brand name is trademarked, we don’t use “Arrowhead Transit” as a verb or create words that include our brand name. Sorry, no “Transit-ers” here.

Stylization

We follow AP style, with any exceptions noted in the Arrowhead Transit Branding Guide. For spelling, use the first entry for a word in Merriam-Webster unless otherwise noted.

Capitalization

Sentence Case: Use for headlines, subheads, body copy, and links.
Caps Case: Reserved for buttons, eyebrows, and jump links.
Title and Lowercase: Use title case for proper nouns, including “Arrowhead Transit” (even if our logo suggests otherwise). Always lowercase arrowheadtransit.com unless it is used to start a sentence.

Times and Attributions

Times

Use numerals, a space, and periods: 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m.
For display copy, capitalize and remove periods: 8 AM PDT | 12 PM EDT
Drop the :00 for times at the top of the hour: 10 a.m., 1 p.m.
In a span, use an en dash: 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
In running text, use words: Taking place on October 7 and 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Attributions

Capitalize job titles in pull quotes and display copy, but not in running text.
Abbreviate CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, VP, Sr.
Don’t abbreviate uncommon acronyms, like Chief Technical Operations Officer.
Use “Co-founder,” not “Co Founder.”
Capitalize and remove periods on time conventions in display copy.
Use title case for proper nouns and job titles in attributions.

Punctuation

Use standard punctuation in body copy (err on the side of no exclamation points!).
Headlines, buttons, links, and eyebrows should not have any punctuation, outside of commas and question marks.
Keep headlines short enough that they don’t feel like they need punctuation—a complete sentence can look out of place without a period.

Symbols

We do not use ampersands (&) or plus signs (+) in place of “and.”
We do not use the Oxford/serial comma unless it is critical for clarity.
Always set end punctuation inside closing quotation marks.
Em dashes (—): No spaces around em dashes, except in tweets.

SECTION 4: TRAINING

Training Guidelines

Ensure all staff are trained on Arrowhead Transit brand guidelines.
Emphasize consistent messaging and brand representation.

Internal Training

Regular training sessions are required for all Arrowhead Transit staff to maintain brand consistency.

Contact Information

Dominick Olivanti – Marketing & Public Relations
📧 dominick.olivanti@aeoa.org

Colette Hanson – Assistant Director of Administration
📧 colette.hanson@aeoa.org

Arrowhead Transit Branding Guidelines