APTA will honor the best and most imaginative in public transportation marketing and promotional campaigns during the 2012 APTA Annual Meeting at the 33rd annual AdWheel ceremony on Monday afternoon, Oct. 1.

APTA has received more than 500 entries in this year’s competition, which is currently in the judging phase. First-place award recipients should be notified by mid-August. The AdWheel Grand Awards, selected from among the first-place honorees, will be made public at the event.

APTA member public transportation systems and business members compete in five categories—print, electronic, campaign, special event, and social media—to determine outstanding achievement in public transit marketing and communications. Public transit agencies are judged in categories based on the number of rides they provide each year.

This year’s competition includes the niche category Off-Peak Marketing & Communications, which recognizes entries that showcase innovative marketing and communication efforts to attract riders.

All AdWheel entries will be available for viewing at an interactive exhibit during the Annual Meeting.

More information is available from Laticia King.