As Florida schools look for ways to cover ever-rising transportation costs, two bills authorizing districts to sell bus advertising would seem to be a natural.
But, a negative analysis by the state Department of Education has the measures going nowhere fast.
HB 599 aponsored by Rep. Bryan Nelson, R-Apopka, and SB 1574 sponsored by Sen. Steven Wise, R-Jacksonville, propose several changes to busing regulations that could reduce reimbursements from the state. To recoup some of those losses, the bills would allow districts to sell ads on the sides of buses.
While a half-dozen states permit bus-side advertising, the idea has run into opposition from K-12 organizations that cite lackluster revenue projections, safety issues and potential legal problems as reasons to steer clear.
Exterior advertising on public school buses is prohibited in Florida school bus specifications.
DOE analyst Charles Hood reported to the Legislature that the state's specifications derived from the 2005 National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures provide "national uniformity of the familiar exterior yellow and black coloration of school buses and ensure safety."
"Standard coloration ensures high visibility of school buses and their instant recognition and 'identifiability' by motorists," Hood stated.
Though no studies have implicated advertisements in accidents, a Virginia Tech study has linked driver distractions to a decline in road safety.
The Florida Association for Pupil Transportation and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services also warn that school boards would have to ensure constitutional compliance with free-speech provisions while limiting any objectionable content of ads.
"It may be difficult or impossible, and legally expensive, to control the types of advertising that could appear on school buses," the Pupil Transportation Services group stated.
While the prospect of driving up revenues has prompted some states to explore bus advertising, Hood discounted any windfall. Citing a recent projection from Washington that estimated the state would receive $350,000 via bus ads, Hood extrapolated that Florida's 67 districts would net a paltry total of $539,160.
But, those low-ball projections ignored the experience of other states.
Jefferson County School District in Denver, for example, recently signed an advertising contract with First Bank of Colorado that will deliver $500,000 over four years. And, that's just one contract in one district -- which is smaller than eight separate public-school systems across Florida.
Utah, meanwhile, has projected it could generate $3.9 million annually by allowing its districts to sell bus-side advertising. Utah's school population is about one-sixth the size of Florida's.
Still, Florida districts have been reluctant to buck state regulations in pursuit of a buck. Seminole County schools a few years ago tried to sell ads on their buses, but bureaucratic obstacles ultimately ditched that venture.
"Obviously in bad economic times we all try to find opportunities for revenue streams, but advertising on buses just always seems to be fraught with too many downsides," said Janet Karst, spokeswoman for the St. Lucie County School District.
Apparently feeling the same way, neither Nelson nor Wise was available to comment on their bills that have yet to receive a hearing.
Reach Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 559-4719.
