Look how cuke this transit courtesy campaign is!

Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced a new campaign Tuesday to encourage riders to be nicer to each other so they don’t leave their bus or light rail ride with a sour taste in their mouth.

The agency decided to mount the pickle-based campaign with the tagline “Rider courtesy. It’s a big dill” after getting complaints from some riders about the discourteous actions of others — playing loud music, throwing trash on the floor, smoking and vaping. Spokesman Adam Brandolph said the agency has gotten more complaints like that in the past two years than it has about drivers or service problems.

So, it engaged marketing firm Red House Communications to develop what PRT CEO Katharine Eagan Kelleman called a “fun, lighthearted” campaign to get riders to be more courteous to each other using cartoonish characters with a pickle theme. Drawing on Pittsburgh’s history with Heinz pickles and the annual Picklesburgh festival, they developed a series of seven placards with punny comments:

• “Don’t put us in a pickle,” to discourage riders from distracting drivers by standing too close or talking to them while they are driving.
• “Don’t sour our ride,” to reduce trash on transit vehicles.
• “Keep it kosher,” aimed at littering, salty language and messy food.
• “Loud noises can be jarring,” to encourage headphones for music and mobile devices.
• “Safety is our bread and butter,” to encourage riders to report suspicious activities.
• “They’d relish a seat,” to get riders to use only one seat so others can sit.
• “Want a smoke? Just dill with it,” to remind riders not to smoke or vape until they are outside the bus or train.

Brandolph said the agency began last week placing the placards in the advertising slots on all of its vehicles, two on each bus and four on each train car.  The only cost is the production of the cards since Red House is on retainer, he said.

The campaign is open-ended with no set time to stop, Brandolph said. It is meant to be “playful but meaningful,” an effort to reduce minor annoyances that riders don’t need early in the morning or after a long day at work, he said.

“We’re not trying to be the courtesy police,” Brandolph said. “If this makes someone think before they do some of these things, that goes a long way to improving things for everyone.”

See all of the designs at  www.rideprt.org/pickle.