That’s a wrap

Even if you’re not a bus rider, you probably know what a wrapped bus is. They’re all over downtown, covered from end to end, advertising everything from iPods to car washes.

If you are a bus rider, you probably know that bus wraps cover bus windows, which can be a problem if you need to look out for your stop or would just like to enjoy a little of our rare Seattle sunlight.

Last fall, reacting to some rider complaints about this lack of visibility, the King County Council decided to phase out the bus wrap program, eliminating them from Metro’s fleet by the end of 2007. This decision made some riders very happy, but not this one.

The bus wrap program is managed by a vendor and doesn’t cost Metro anything to administer. It also happens to earn the agency over $700,000 a year in revenue. I don’t know about you, I want more service, stops and shelters, so (at a time of rising fuel costs and increased service needs) I’m all about pain-free sources of revenue. No, I don’t like dark windows, but I’d happily endure them every once in a while (only 25 Metro buses are wrapped) for the sake of more transit funding.

Fortunately, Metro has proposed a compromise. From a recent Executive Office press release (http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/news/2007/0621buswrap.aspx):

“We always strive to be innovative and entrepreneurial to find revenues that help keep bus fares low while increasing our service,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “That is why I asked Metro to develop a modified wrapped-bus advertising program that still brings in critically needed revenue while addressing the concerns of our customers.”

Under the proposal, only a portion of the bus side windows would be covered. This will provide potential advertisers with enough coverage to justify the premium rates for such advertising, while preserving unobstructed, clear window space along the entire length of the bus for improved passenger visibility and comfort.

There’s currently one (window-obscuring) template for bus wraps, and all agencies who participate in the program use it. A new template requires advertisers to create custom designs. Because of this, and because less of the bus will be covered, partial wraps won’t generate as much revenue as full bus wraps. (Metro estimates a minimum of $450,000 per year.) Still some revenue is better than none, especially if the dip is only temporary. I’m guessing that transit customers in other cities would also like to be able to see where they’re going, and Metro’s model will eventually become the standard.

The County Council will vote on the proposal sometime this month — maybe as soon as July 25 — and I bet they’d like to know what you think. Would you tolerate bus wraps if you could see out the window?

Me? Until we start investing in the kind of transit infrastructure necessary to end this region’s car dependence, I’ll happily sit in the dark.