Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 9, 2006

Metro proposes buying trash cans, other improvements with ad money

More bomb resistant trash cans in rail stations, electronic signs outside of the fare gates and updated signs at major transfer stations. Those are just some of the subway improvements Metro managers want to make using advertising revenue in fiscal 2007.

The transit authority expects to bring in $33 million in advertising money in fiscal 2007. That is almost double the amount generated in fiscal 2001, and by 2010, Metro managers predict advertising will bring in $40 million a year.

Transit authority officials are proposing spending $2 million on trash cans, a new sales and service center at L’Enfant Plaza and Trip Planner improvements, including adding information about delays, elevator and escalator outages and emergencies. The money would also be used to add electronic message boards outside of two rail stations as part of a pilot project. The boards would display real time information about train arrival and service disruptions before riders pay to enter the system. Almost half of the $2 million would be used to upgrade signs at transfer stations so they match the illuminated style displayed at Gallery Place-Chinatown. The $2 million will be generated through bus and train wraps, increased advertising in stations, trains and buses, ATMSs in rail stations and tunnel advertising, which is short silent video commercials. Metro’s Board will make final budget decisions, when they vote on the fiscal 2007 spending plan in June.

Bus wraps and additional bus advertising began in 2004. ATMS began appearing in the rail system last year, along with station banners, train wraps and additional advertisements in trains. Two tunnel ads are scheduled to be installed next month. Two others are scheduled to be installed by January. Video monitors on some trains and buses are scheduled to be tested withinayear.

Between last July and this June, Metro allocated $1.4 million of non-passenger revenues -- like advertising -- to buy bomb-resistant trash cans for rail stations, add Spanish translation to the Trip Planner, customer service telephone upgrades and remote monitoring of the platform passenger information displays that would speed up repairs to those signs.

News release issued on March 9, 2006.