Devon County Council is running a 'Buses are cool' cartoon competition, where participants will have the opportunity to come up with ideas on how to make travelling on buses, coaches and trains more appealing to young people.
The Hare and the Tortoise cartoon featured in the competition depicts a happy tortoise standing at a bus stop while the hare fumes in a traffic jam.
Primary school aged pupils can enter the colouring competition (five to seven and eight to eleven age categories) and for secondary school students there is a caption competition.
The winners from each category will receive a free day's bus travel in Devon with Stagecoach or First for a family of up to five people, while their school will receive £100 of book vouchers. Two runners-up from each category will also receive a £10 book token.
Cllr Margaret Rogers, Devon County Council executive member for environment, said: 'Bus, coach and rail travel is much safer than car travel. Using public transport is one way in which people can reduce traffic congestion, and their carbon footprint, to help make Devon the greenest county.
'I hope that Devon schools will use the cartoon competition, and encourage reduced car use on the school run, in support of Devon Car Free Day.'
Devon County Council TravelWise officer, Lesley Smith, who has organised the competition, said: 'I hope that teachers will use the cartoon as a classroom project to encourage pupils to think about the issues surrounding traffic congestion and the solutions that public transport can offer.
'We are looking for colourful cartoons and thought-provoking captions which encapsulate the "Buses are Cool" concept and promote public transport for young people – the drivers of the future.'
Schools will also receive a list of ideas on other ways in which they can support the day.
Closing date for the Car Free Day competition is Friday, October 24, 2008.