Businesses On Board With Bus Ads

So far, the county has signed up four local businesses to advertise on the side of THE Bus, Hernando County's mass transit system.

The county has been pushing the idea of "rolling advertisements" for months in hopes of getting more money for the beleaguered system.

Those four businesses - Cyber Cellular of Spring Hill, Dr. Michael Higgins, Papa Joe's and WWJB 1450 AM - have the potential of generating up to $18,000 for the county, according to Community Relations Coordinator Brenda Frazier.

The $18,000 could be less if any of the buses are taken off-line for any reason.

The advertising promotion comes at a time when ridership and revenue is down.

Ridership for October was 13,453, compared to 14,141 in September and 12,485 in August.

Frazier attributes the decrease to higher bus fares that went into effect Oct. 1. Prices rose from $1 to $1.25 per trip and from $15 to $25 for a monthly pass.

Frazier said she believes the falling gas prices led more people to start driving their own vehicles. Also, with the economy down, there are more people unemployed and don't have the need to ride a bus to work, she said.

For fiscal year 2007-08, advertising revenue was $4,300, a 73 percent decrease from 2006-07.

County Administrator David Hamilton tapped Frazier to get involved with the planning department and Trans-Hernando to help with marketing and outreach efforts for THE Bus and work to increase ridership and advertising.

Trans-Hernando, a private provider, formerly contracted with the county to handle the advertising.

Frazier is working in conjunction with Rick Foti, the county's video production manager, Mary Stahl, marketing and outreach coordinator for Trans-Hernando, and the transportation planning staff.

To entice businesses, the county has enlarged the advertising space on each bus to make the promotion stand out. There is also a transparent wrap ad that can go across the rear window but does not impede the visibility of the passengers or the bus driver.

The ads from the four initial businesses should start appearing soon.

"Once the ads get on there and people see how attractive and visible they are, they will be more popular," Frazier said.

The cost of the ads varies on length of time of contract and placement on the bus.

For example, a 24-inch-by-96-inch ad on the passenger side for one month goes for $250. A special offer on a one-month, rear window wrap goes for $350.

Joe Giarratana, co-manager-owner of Papa Joe's restaurant with his wife Donna, said the bus ad will allow him to get his Spring Lake business promoted in the Spring Hill area, where it is less well-known.

Giarratana said it's too early to gauge the effectiveness of the ad. But one thing he knows: Hernando County, he said, needs a mass-transit system to assist seniors and those who don't drive.

In fact, he'd like to see more bus routes and make the service available to more people.