February 21, 2026 7:35 AM

Caltrans Needs Your Help To Name The New Mascot

SACRAMENTO, CA. (Pain In The Pass) >> Caltrans has a new mascot, but it doesn’t have a name yet. They are offering youngsters a chance to name its new mascot “a cartoon character traffic cone”.

Traffic cones play an important role in California streets and highways by acting as indicators for drivers to reduce speed, be extra alert, watch out, and move over to the next lane. These things all create safe conditions for highway workers, law enforcement, emergency personnel or tow truck drivers.

With such importance, Caltrans which stands for the California Department of Transportation made a new traffic cone the agency’s mascot.

But it’s currently nameless.

So Caltrans launched the student contest.

Here are the rules:

  1. If you’re between the ages of 5 and 18 and attend a school in California, create a catchy name for the new mascot.
  2. Submit your entry at gosafelyca.org/mascot-naming-contest by January 20, 2023.
  3. If yours is selected, you win a laptop, a $500 gift card, a $500 gift card for your class, Go Safely mascot t-shirts for your entire classroom, and a mascot visit to the winning classroom. All prizes provided courtesy of iHeartMedia.

A panel of judges will weigh the submissions and determine the winner — so make sure to catch their eyes.

You could go with a pun, perhaps, such as a film reference like Mr. Conehead. Alliteration is also a strong way to go when naming mascots: Peter Pylon, Safety Silly Cone, Safety Sam, Carolina Cone or even Terry the Traffic Cone.

Just make it fun and catchy!!! Winners will be announced by January 31.

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Cajon Pass
7:35 am, Feb 21, 2026
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Sunrise: 6:28 am
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