The Fordham University Intercampus Transportation Shuttle, also widely referred to as the “Ram Van,” has officially updated its first vehicle with the new Fordham logo on its exterior, the first step in a roughly four-year-long process to update the Ram Vans’ logos as part of the University’s recent rebranding initiative.
Plinio Gonzalez, director of University Transportation, told The Ram in an email that this new logo on the Ram Van helps Fordham “modernize the brand, enhance market perception, and build brand awareness,” which he described as the purpose of the rebranding initiative.
“The Ram Vans, which began operating in 1981, are a highly recognizable and visible part of Fordham University and currently transport over 275,000 passengers each year, primarily between our Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses,” Gonzalez said. “It is only right to help Fordham in this initiative by beginning to replace the Ram Van’s old Block F logos with Fordham’s new logo.”
According to Gonzalez, the updated logo was created via a collaboration between the Office of Marketing and Communications and the department of University Transportation. He also said the rebranding initiative arose from a need to distill Fordham’s identity in the higher education marketplace defined by increasing competition whose goal, according to Gonzalez, is to “raise Fordham’s profile across various audiences and improve brand awareness.”
Before being imprinted with Fordham’s updated brand logo, all 36 14-passenger vans and four minivans were decorated with Fordham’s old Block F logo, but, according to Gonzalez, only one Ram Van has officially had its logo replaced. Gonzalez said that once the current vans are retired — each van serves for a specific lease period — they will be replaced by vans that have the new logo.
“The plan is to apply the new logos on new vans on a rolling cycle as new vans are brought into our fleet. It will take about 4 years to roll out the new logo across our entire fleet,” he said.
Student employees for the department of University Transportation said that while they had no part in rebranding the vans themselves, they are excited to be part of one of the key aspects of Fordham’s rebranding initiative. Rose Locke, FCLC ’27, has been a Ram Van driver for almost three years and said the new logos on the vans are an exciting change.
“Ram Vans are such a cornerstone to the Fordham experience, whether you’re at [Rose Hill] or [Lincoln Center], so it makes sense that the vans are becoming a part of the university’s rebranding,” Locke said in an email to The Ram. “I personally like the new design,” she said.
Avuh Sharifi, GSB ’29, also works as a Ram Van driver and said the logo change did not come as a surprise.
“I think it was expected,” Sharifi said in an email to The Ram. “Since Fordham is rebranding, it makes sense that intercampus transportation like Ram Van would also update its logos to align with the university’s new image.”
Locke explained that, based on what she has heard from her fellow Ram Van drivers, they are looking forward to driving the rebranded van.
“I have not heard many complaints from drivers. Most drivers are excited to drive the one van we have in our fleet that has the new logo since it’s a brand new van,” Locke said. “A few people have said it does stand out from the rest of the fleet since it is the only van with the new logo.”
While Ram Van drivers are enjoying driving the rebranded van, Sharifi said the new logo has also raised some concerns among drivers.
“One major concern is that the new logo covers a significant portion of the window and is not one-way,” Sharifi said. “Many students experience carsickness, and being able to look outside is important for managing those symptoms.”
Sharifi also said that student passengers have expressed their own grievances with the new logo on the Ram Vans.
“In general, students who aren’t affiliated with Ram Van have reacted negatively. Many have joked that the logo resembles Lord Farquaad’s flag, and overall, they don’t seem to like it,” Sharifi said. “Personally, though, I feel that the new logo gives the university a more prestigious and polished appearance compared to before.”
Gonzalez described the importance of aligning the Ram Van’s appearance with Fordham’s rebranding initiative.
“A strong, consistent brand across the University, particularly on the Ram Van, helps prospective students, alumni, and employers immediately associate the logo with Fordham. Our vans are the equivalent of moving billboards, which drives significant visibility for Fordham,” he said.
