PaTS rolls out new bus ad program

Photograph of placeholder bus ad
Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Parking and Transportation Services (PaTS) is rolling out a new opportunity to drive awareness for on-campus events and activities. Departments and student organizations can now purchase ad space for University-sponsored events and programs on Niner Transit buses.

Bus advertisements provide an affordable option for showcasing events and promoting helpful information to students and employees. Ad reservation rates start at $50 for departments and $25 for student organizations. Ads can be placed for two or four week increments and have the possibility to renew for an additional reservation pending space availability and approval from PaTS. Each reservation allows for 24 ads to be placed across all 12 Niner Transit buses, amounting to 2 ads per bus.   

Examples of acceptable advertising include campus-wide events, public service and safety information and programming that is sponsored by departments and registered student organizations. PaTS will not allow ads for products or services from outside the University.

Doug Lape, director of Parking and Transportation Services, explained that having a University-operated bus system allows PaTS to offer internal advertising opportunities, which in turn provides “a cost-effective way to advertise events and services to the campus community.”

The pilot bus ad program is scheduled to run through June 2019, but may become permanent if the pilot program succeeds.

Lape said he is confident that the program will continue, but initiating it in phases “allows us time to work out any operational or logistical challenges since we had to build this process from the ground up.”

In order to create a seamless customer experience, PaTS has partnered with REPROs to facilitate all ad printing. REPROS will print 24 ads for $9.60 plus applicable sales tax

While PaTS received a high number of reservations for bus advertisements during the first few months of the program, space is still available. Details about the program and an online form to reserve space are available on the PaTS website.


Tips for placing bus ads

Be sure to start planning your reservation two weeks in advance.

  1. Review the bus ad content guidelines prior to designing your artwork.

  2. Be sure to have your final (17 inches wide by 11 inches tall) print-ready artwork created and saved as an electronic file prior to submitting an ad reservation.

  3. Have your fund and source codes handy when you are ready to place your reservation. Student groups must pay by official student organization check. Check payment information for details.

  4. Once PaTS approves your ad, a representative will reach out to confirm your payment information. The PaTS representative will send your ad to REPROS for printing. REPROS will bill departments for printing costs separately.

  5. REPROS will deliver your ad to PaTS for placement on Niner Transit.