Pace’s traditional blue and yellow colors have taken a back seat on a special bus that is now on the streets in the northwest suburbs. This patriotic red, white and blue “wrapped” bus features images of several American landmarks as it pays tribute to our great country.

A wrapped bus is completely covered with a thin vinyl material that still allows passengers to see out the windows even though you can’t see in. The 900 square feet of rolling artwork is popular with advertisers, who know the large-format graphics draw increased attention to their products.

This latest wrapped bus at Pace is solely to show support for America, and is one of only a few transit buses in the nation decorated in such a patriotic manner. The bus displays the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. Capitol, Mount Rushmore, the Bald Eagle, the Lincoln Memorial, the American flag, and the well-known image of American soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima.

“We already have received great reviews from riders,” said Pace Executive Director T.J. Ross. “It’s a beautiful sight to see, and it sends a strong message about the patriotism so many of us feel for America.”

The idea for the America-themed Pace bus originated with Alvin Barkeloo of Wizard Decal, which installs many of Pace’s wrapped designs. As owner of the Columbus, Ohio-based company, he coordinated the project and donated his time to personally install the design with friend Jason McKenzie at Pace’s Northwest Division bus garage in Des Plaines. Luciano Retouching in Cleveland designed the wrap at no charge, and Supergraphics in Seattle produced the vinyl material for free.

“It was a lot of work, but I wanted to do something more than the everyday ad on a bus,” Barkeloo said. “It was definitely worth it. I feel great knowing that thousands of people will get to see it.”