PM Bulletin Board
Here is an answer received in response to the PM Bulletin Board questions posed on page 4 of the March 2003 issue of Public Management Magazine: Does your community sell advertisements on trash trucks, park benches, police cars, and other public spots? If so, where are they placed, and what types of ads are they? Is the program successful, and do local government leaders consider it a good way to help plug budget holes?
I would like to report that the city of Fort Collins, Colorado’s transportation services department sells advertisements on bus benches, shelters, and exterior and interior bus panels. The city uses an outside contractor that provides marketing, sales, layout design, production, and installation of all advertisements.
With this program, we have been able to successfully negotiate a five-year contract, with an option to renew the shelter/bench contract for up to 20 years and the interior/exterior contract for up to 10 years. This contract generates revenue for the city, as well as provides bus benches, shelters, and other amenities for transit customers. The contractor also is solely responsible for the maintenance, repairs, and upkeep of all bus benches and bus shelters.
The ad sales program has been a benefit to the city and to the transit customers. We recommend this type of program to other localities and transit agencies. 
Jamie Moyer, Transport Marketing Analyst, Fort Collins, Colorado