Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1502512
IF EVER A PUBLIC TRANSIT BUS WERE BELOVED, that bus is Melody. The pride of the Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority (MTA), Melody is a 35-foot, battery electric-powered, zero emissions beauty who honors the city's favorite music legends. MELODY-MAKERS Melody's birth was a long time coming. She spent nearly two years on the assembly line at BYD's Coach & Bus Factory in California. This leading global manufacturer typically completes a commercial bus in a year, but MTA Operations Manager Tony Woodard attributed her delayed delivery to COVID-19 plant closures and supply-chain issues. Over 2000 miles away in Macon, MTA prepared for her arrival, clandestinely gathering all the elements she'd need to reach her final form. Logistics challenges abounded. For starters, which musicians should be included, given the incredible depth and breadth of Macon's music history? Once chosen, would the honorees (or if the star or manager had passed away, surviving family members) grant MTA permission to use their image? Would they waive image licensing fees – if indeed they held the licensing rights? It took months to find 21 bus-worthy photos and track down their far-flung license holders. But with the slate of Macon Music Masters finalized and photos selected, MTA tackled the design. In today's transit world, exterior bus design is accomplished with custom vinyl wraps, unlike the paint-finished models of yesteryear. MTA doesn't permit commercial advertisements on its bus wraps. Instead, the county has chosen to spotlight Macon- centric designs that instill a sense of community pride. That commitment ultimately led to Melody, MTA's most imaginative and inspiring bus design to date. NAME THAT BUS The advent of state-of-the-art electric buses with customizable vinyl wraps inspired MTA to give each bus a unique name. In 2020, MTA dubbed the first pair: Sparky featured an enormous electric plug, and his sibling, Bolt, bore a streak of lightning. In June 2022, Alfred arrived. The first distinctly Macon-themed bus, he displayed a 30-foot image of historic Terminal Station. He is an homage to the train station's 20th-century architect, Alfred T. Fellheimer, whose renowned designs include New York's iconic Grand Central Station. There's no missing Toby, whose bold design was created by Mercer University's own Steve Mosley. "Mercer Bears" blazes orange and black across Toby's length, alongside a roaring bear and his namesake mascot. Melody Honoring Macon's Music Masters on wheels STORY BY JAMI GAUDET PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG CLARK AND JAMI GAUDET BIG WHEELS KEEP ON TURNING Each new MTA bus wrap is unveiled with great fanfare. Sparky and Bolt snuck into Macon in the dead of night, hidden until the ride to the Terminal Station for their inaugural press conference. Alfred was escorted to his press avail by a sheriff department's patrol car, with lights flashing and siren blaring. Mercer hosted Toby's press conference inside Five Star Stadium. A er the Q&A, the field doors were thrown open to reveal Toby, huge and gleaming, parked in the end zone. In the opposite end zone, the massive scoreboard trumpeted, "Mercer Scores Big with Toby, MTA's Newest Electric Bus." Cloaked in secrecy for 17 months, Melody debuted in August 2022, privately unveiled to the honorees and family outside Terminal Station, then to hundreds at the jam-packed press conference inside. The celebration kicked off with Westside High School marching band's thunderous rendition of Kool and The Gang's Celebrate. No one saw Melody until the reveal. Reactions were swi and powerful. Artists, family, and friends swarmed around Melody to view each huge, splashy photo, snapping pictures and selfies. Most stirring was the joyful, tearful response of family members whose honoree had passed away. Plainly, the Macon Music Masters bus struck a chord. OVERTURNING HISTORY Melody's magic lies in the diversity of her stars — a mix of international, national, and local talent. Each has a story, but perhaps none more poignant than globally acclaimed opera singer Allan Evans, pictured in a tuxedo in front of an airstream. Raised in Macon during the Jim Crow era, the virtuosic, powerhouse bass-baritone Evans — a Julliard graduate and classmate of Otis 82 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2023