Earlier this year Columbus, Ohio launched CBUS, the Columbus Circulator. It’s a special overlay bus route running along the main street through the city’s densest, most urban neighborhoods. It comes every 10 minutes, has a low (actually free) fare, and limited stops. Sound familiar?

Oh, and here’s a photo:

Photo by Darius Pinkston on Flickr.

Look familiar? That sweeping line, the destinations labeled on the side, “CIRCULATOR” in a modern sans-serif font right in the middle. It looks nothing like Columbus’ standard bus livery, but it is all very reminiscent of the DC Circulator.

In fact, Ohio transit advocates had the DC Circulator in mind during planning for CBUS.

Columbus isn’t alone, either. “Circulator” is spreading as an increasingly common brand choice for short-distance, high-frequency buses in mixed-use areas, especially near DC. There’s a Bethesda Circulator, a Tysons Circulator, and a Baltimore Circulator.

Just how far will this brand spread?

 Cross-posted at Greater Greater Washington.