One bill would cut training hours needed for CDL holders and those approved to operate a school bus. Another would allow bus ads.
Allentown, Pa.-based Parkland School District debuted its first ad for a local Allstate agent. The ad, which discourages texting while driving, will run through October.
The ads for Granite School District buses must highlight either a program offered by the district, online courses or a “help wanted” ad for bus drivers. Steven Powell, publications specialist for the Salt Lake City-based district, says officials felt that ads on buses created by students would be a good opportunity to showcase some of the programs available.
Medford Township Public Schools continually seeks out opportunities to grow its sustainability practices, reduce transportation costs and generate revenue, which have been accomplished through such initiatives as a solar project, shared bus service and running vehicles on biodiesel. From the solar project alone, the district has realized savings of $300,000 annually.
Todd Isaacs of District Solutions says that school bus advertising can help cash-strapped districts raise revenue, and he points to the ads' record on the road. The approximately $15,000 that one district has raised so far is being put toward transportation for homeless students to after-school programs.
After serving the industry for more than 30 years with his business Lee Fox Bus Seat Repair, owner Lee Fox launches Fox School Bus Media. Fox’s new company contracts with districts and handles all aspects of the advertising process, from producing and installing ads to disbursing revenue.
Medford Township Public Schools will reportedly become the first school system in the state to begin school bus advertising, which the district’s superintendent says is an “effective means of generating vital capital and an exciting community awareness platform for corporate sponsors.” A local grocery store chain will advertise on the operation’s 52 buses.
"Age-appropriate" advertisements could be placed on school buses under a bill introduced for the state's new legislative session. Revenue from the bus ad sales would have to be devoted to the cost of providing pupil transportation.
Under the legislation, commercial advertisements that are “family and child friendly” could be placed on the exterior of a school bus. The idea has been proposed in Florida before but hasn’t passed.
The Senate Education Committee rejects the measure, which would have allowed school districts to sell advertising space on the outside of their buses and choose how to spend the revenue that resulted from the ads. Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff, who authored the bill, says it would have “provided a new and needed source of funding for our schools at no cost to taxpayers.”
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