Here’s a question for you, my readers. If instead of charging $1.50 for bus fare, TCAT dropped the cost to $.50 through advertising subsidies with major companies, would you approve? Sure, your buses might look like this, but the fares could go down:

I’ve always noticed that the buses in Ithaca are very noticeably without decal or decoration. Compare this with a city like NY or PHX, where all the buses are sporting huge billboards.

5 Responses to “Advertising & Public Transportation”

1. Alex Krupp says:

   7/2/2006 at 9:44 am

   I would not approve. I don’t take the bus anyway, so now instead of being unaffected by the bus I would have to look at advertising every time one went by. All you are doing is creating an externality. Even if the advertisng could only be seen inside the bus I still wouldn’t approve, because frankly I find outdoor advertising (inc. logos on clothing) to be distasteful.

   Nice photoshop though.

   Reply
2. Agaskar says:

   7/2/2006 at 12:19 pm

   What you’re saying, Mr. Krupp, is that you are against a measure that could make life cheaper and more convenient for other people because it would offend your aesthetic sensibility. That’s ridiculous and selfish.

   Reply
3. Beeeej says:

   7/5/2006 at 1:15 pm

   The very first problem with your hypothetical is your belief that adding advertising to the buses would lower the prices drastically or at all. Have movie ticket prices come down since they started showing several paid commercials before the previews start?

   Perhaps TCAT is missing the boat on a potential source of revenue, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for them to start lowering prices if they move on it.

   Reply
4. Speedy says:

   7/12/2006 at 7:11 pm

   Cool picture!

   While I don’t mind the advertising myself, I’d be surprised if they last long without it. To your point – I have never seen transit prices decrease as a result of advertising. Also, a large determinant of the money they receive from advertisers is dependent on the foot traffic that will notice the ads – much more to be made in bustling downtown areas.

   I should add this to my public transportation documentary -> http://www.los-angeles-public-transportation.com

   Cheers,
   Alex

   Reply
5. Scott says:

   7/17/2006 at 10:31 am

   Actually, just in the past week or so TCAT has started sporting ads on the sides and backs of their buses. (They started having ads on the inside last summer.) Currently the external ads are pretty small compared to other metros, but who knows how long that will last.

   Reply