School Bus Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Place your ad here

School districts hurting for revenue should look to their school bus fleets for relief. It’s so blindingly simple: Allow advertising on the exter...

by Steve Hirano, Editor/Associate Publisher
June 1, 2005
3 min to read


School districts hurting for revenue should look to their school bus fleets for relief.

It’s so blindingly simple: Allow advertising on the exterior of buses and generate thousands of dollars each year for the general fund. Increasingly, school boards are considering this measure to help alleviate their budget shortfalls.

Ad Loading...

And why not? Transit systems routinely place advertisements on the sides, backs and interior of their buses to deposit badly needed dollars into their coffers. Typically, they hire an outside agency to handle the solicitation of advertising and collect a percentage of the take. Why shouldn’t school districts tap this same source?

Fed up with fundraising
Columnist Gail Kerr of The Tennessean in Nashville is among the boosters of this commerce. In a March 30 editorial, she laments the purchase of fundraising items such as wrapping paper, candy bars and light bulbs, “all in the name of publicly educating the children of my friends and coworkers.”

The Tennessee legislature’s push to relax advertising restrictions on the sides and rears of school buses has made Kerr giddy. “What took them so long?” she writes. “Anything that brings more money to schools without another hit on our wallets is welcome.”

Kerr dismisses the notion that children will be harmed by bus advertising. She cites their constant exposure to Internet pop-up ads, TV commercials, billboards, radio ads, e-mail spam and instant messaging. “You think little Johnny and young Sally are going to feel exploited [by ads on school buses]?” she writes.

What about the argument that the ads could distract motorists and lead to an increase in crashes? Kerr doesn’t address this issue, but other bus advertising supporters point out that the ads are generally allowed only on the sides of the buses, which aren’t visible to vehicles approaching from the front or rear during the loading and unloading of passengers.

Ad Loading...

Let’s think this out
A fat wallet is great comfort during lean times. So it’s no surprise that school districts are exploring all options — including bus advertising — to bolster their funding. Here are three reasons why they should resist the temptation.

First, the issue of safety goes beyond the approach of other vehicles during the loading and unloading of students. Let’s face it, the ads are designed to distract motorists. If they’re not getting the attention of the traveling public, then what value do they have?

Assuming the ads are doing what they’re supposed to do, then motorists will be looking at them when they should be watching the road for potential dangers. We all know that a fraction of a second can make the difference between a crash and a near miss.

Second, school buses are painted yellow for a reason: to make them easily seen and identified. Placing placards, even small ones, on the exterior of buses obscures that distinctive color, making it more difficult for the general population, as well as emergency service providers, to identify them.

Finally, the school bus industry prides itself on a lot of things, safety foremost, but also as the transportation provider of our future leaders. Yes, as Ms. Kerr mentioned in her column, children already are bombarded with advertising messages. What additional harm would be caused by a few bus ads? Not much, maybe. But wouldn’t it be nice if school boards drew a line in the sand and said, “No, we’ll find other ways to raise revenue, our children and our buses are not for sale.”

Ad Loading...

Yes, they might have to forgo whatever revenue could be generated by the ads, but it’s a small price to pay to retain the highest level of transportation safety, to fully preserve our school bus yellow heritage and to refuse to expose our children and communities to even more advertising.

With Internet pop-up ads, TV commercials, billboards, radio ads, e-mail spam and instant messaging, haven’t we all had enough?

Topics:Management
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Management

Graphic that reads “What I Learned About Leadership” over photos of school transportation professionals participating in discussions and networking at the TAPT leadership event.
ManagementSeptember 4, 2026

From Intent to Impact: What I Learned About Leadership from TAPT

A Texas transportation supervisor shares lessons on self-awareness, accountability, managing stress and building trust — and why investing in leadership development matters at every stage of your career.

Read More →
Graphic announcing the 2026 NAPT Award Winners, featuring the National Association for Pupil Transportation logo on a blue background with gold stars.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseSeptember 3, 2026

NAPT Names 2026 Award Recipients

Who earned national recognition for their work in student transportation? This year, NAPT named five recipients of its 2026 awards for service, safety, and leadership.

Read More →
Zonar Cover for White Paper Survey Results for 2026 State of Student Transportation
SponsoredSeptember 2, 2026

2026 State of Student Transportation Report

Driver shortages. Rising costs. Growing safety expectations. More data, but not enough time to act on it. The 2026 State of Student Transportation Report reveals what transportation leaders say is putting the most pressure on their operations—and where they’re investing next. See how your priorities compare.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic reading “Managing Others’ Anger: Keeping Your Cool When Tempers Are High,” alongside a red balloon with an angry face against a stormy background.
Managementby Amanda HuggettSeptember 1, 2026

How to De-Escalate an Angry Person: 5 Steps for Handling Workplace Conflict

What makes emotions run high, and how should you handle an angry colleague or parent? Follow these steps for staying calm, listening, showing empathy, and resolving conflict.

Read More →
Image of happy school children exiting their school bus
SponsoredSeptember 1, 2026

What Readiness Looks Like This School Year

Learn about the challenges shaping the 2026–2027 school year, from persistent driver shortages and budget pressure to technology and readiness gaps. See how school districts are responding and adapting in Zonar’s 2026 Back-to-School Readiness Report.

Read More →
Graphic for School Bus Fleet’s August 2026 “Changing Lanes” personnel roundup featuring Cameron Nazemzadeh of STA, Jim Wojciechowski Jr. of Summit School Services, Matthew Klein of Zum, Kristen Shaheen of Transit Technologies, and James Hopkins of Cummins Inc.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 31, 2026

Changing Lanes: Executive Moves at Summit School Services, Zum, STA, Cummins, Transit Technologies, Driventic, & Cadex

See who's been hired, promoted, and appointed to leadership positions at various school transportation industry suppliers and private contractors.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Student-created poster titled “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” shows a yellow school bus at a crosswalk, students waiting nearby, and school bus safety reminders about stopping, school zones, safe pickup and drop-off, and buckling up.
Managementby News/Media ReleaseAugust 31, 2026

Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest

Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.

Read More →
A green and white graphic with a black and white image of a new Bendpak facility with text reading "Industry Moves: Companies Expand & Relocate."
Managementby Elora HaynesAugust 27, 2026

Industry Moves: Companies Expand Fleet Service & EV Infrastructure Footprints

The new facilities and regional hubs could mean faster access to shop equipment, charging support, and transportation technology for fleet operators.

Read More →
Cover of a Pro-Vision whitepaper titled “Doing More With Less: A Transportation Director’s Guide to Managing Safety Budget Uncertainty,” featuring school buses, a school transportation scene, and safety technology imagery.
SponsoredAugust 27, 2026

Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty

With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A Gatekeeper Systems camera mounted on the side of a school bus.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 26, 2026

Walton County Schools Adds Gatekeeper Stop-Arm Enforcement System

The Florida district will deploy Gatekeeper’s updated Student Protector technology, which now incorporates AI to improve video evidence.

Read More →