AL: Mobile public transit gets Mardi Gras-inspired rebrand with new name

Mobile’s launch of a new public transit system will include a new brand embracing its Carnival roots.

The city on Tuesday announced that starting in July, “Second Line Transit” will be rolling along the city streets, replacing Wave Transit as the city’s new public transportation system.

“Second Line Transit celebrates Mobile’s unique history and brings a fresh energy to our public transit system,” Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis said in a statement.

The new name and branding are the result of a community survey launched in early March. It was a competition, between two names: Second Line Transit and “MoGo,” which is the name of the city’s current microtransit service introduced in 2024 by the Mobile Chamber.

Second Line Transit received 1,575 votes, or 55.6% of the 2,833 votes cast during the survey competition. MoGo received 44.4%, or 1,258 votes.

The name “Second Line” pays homage to impromptu street parades that are often led by a brass band, with participants dancing and celebrating while waving handkerchiefs and umbrellas. While the tradition originated in New Orleans, it’s deeply rooted along the Gulf Coast during the Carnival season including Mobile.

Mobile has embraced the moniker “Birthplace of Mardi Gras,” a claim linked to 1703, when the city hosted the first organized Mardi Gras celebration in what would become the United States – 73 years before the nation’s founding.

The reputation has also drawn statewide interest. In February, Alabama’s congressional delegation adopted a resolution declaring Mobile the nation’s “Birthplace of Mardi Gras.”

The city is partnering with New York-based Via Transit LLC to launch a modern, more reliable transit system. Under a $12.1 million annual contract approved last year, Via is tasked with reimagining Mobile’s transit system, including replacing Wave transit buses with smaller vehicles.

The new network is expected to integrate improved technology with a coordinated system of trolleys, fixed-route buses, microtransit, and paratransit services.

“Regardless of which brand you voted for, every Mobilian should be excited about Via’s efforts to modernize and reimagine public transit in Mobile,” Cheriogotis said.

Cheriogotis, during last year’s mayoral campaign, said redesigning a public transit system is a priority. He is also advocating for integrating street trolleys into the new transit system over concerns of large buses operated by Wave rolling mostly empty through city streets.

The Wave will remain the name and brand of Mobile’s transit system until the full launch of Second Line Transit in July.

The overall transition is expected to continue to unfold over the coming months, and both Via and The City of Mobile say they are committed to keeping residents and transit users informed of the upcoming changes while continuing to gather public input.

Additional information about the planning process and opportunities for public engagement is available on the Mobile’s Transit Future website, bit.ly/mtf26.

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