Lettering on vehicles is often seen on most public vehicles like buses, taxis and others. Here graphical typefaces on the famous Kolkata ‘Tram’ has been studied.

TRAM

The graphical typeface on the ‘Tram’ in Kolkata.

BATANAGAR

‘BATANAGAR’ is a popular form of typography seen on buses. The typeface is very expressive and follows a rhythm. Note the shape of the bird replacing the dot (.). The typefaces are free-flowing and dynamic with an ornamented motif.

BUS showing Route Number 28

This is a display panel of a bus showing bus route number 28, starting from ‘Howrah’ and proceeding to its termination destination ‘Sealdah’. The design of the panel is also influenced by the signboard painting style. This is the regular structure of the display panel of most buses in Kolkata. The bus route number is placed between the source and destination place. This is unlike the Kolkata Tram service in which the tram route number is placed to the left side of the source and destination. While the typefaces of the tram are very geometric, those on buses are seen to be organic, ornamental and decorative. It is interesting to note that the British first introduced the Tram service in Kolkata, much before buses were introduced as the mode of public transport. Bengali script was included according to their design format or grid.