Bon Secours, VCU Health obtain 15-year joint sponsorship deal for forthcoming GRTC Pulse system

Bon Secours Richmond Health System and VCU Health System have partnered to secure joint sponsorship rights of GRTC Pulse, Richmond’s high capacity rapid transit system that will serve its first riders this summer, according to GRTC.

The two entities say the sponsorship was perfectly aligned with their commitment to improving the health of the Richmond community and as such the organizations “[pooled] their resources to address the social conditions that impact health, one of which is transportation.”

“Quality transportation provides access to jobs, health care, affordable housing and educational institutions, said Toni R. Ardabell, CEO of Bon Secours Virginia Health System, in a news release Thursday morning. “Our colleagues at VCU Health are the perfect partners in this effort to support Richmond’s new rapid transit system because we are aligned in our missions of bringing health and wholeness to the communities we serve.”

The GRTC Pulse is the city’s forthcoming high capacity rapid transit system that will serve activity centers on a 7.6 mile route along Broad Street and Main Street, between Rocketts Landing in the City of Richmond and Willow Lawn in Henrico County. This first Pulse line is the new spine of GRTC’s transit system, with other routes connecting to it across the Greater Richmond Area to improve the overall quality of life for the community.

“As the region’s largest safety-net provider, we know that reliable transportation plays a key role in creating healthy communities,” said Deborah Davis, CEO of VCU Hospitals and Clinics, in the same release. “We will also use buses and bus stops for community health education, encouraging riders to learn about health screenings and reducing risk factors for conditions such as heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes.”

The naming rights agreement will generate up to $6.4 million in non-fare revenue for GRTC operations over a term of up to 15 years.

“We’re excited to announce an outstanding partnership with not one but two of the strongest brands in our community,” said David Green, CEO of GRTC. “This investment in our Pulse service is an investment in the mobility and continued development of our community. It represents a great partnership and a sustainable revenue source that will assist in operating the line and maintaining our level of service to the Richmond area.”