ATLANTA — MARTA’s Board of Directors has selected CBS Outdoor Group Inc. to manage the sale and use of advertising space on buses, rail cars, stations, bus shelters and benches.
The deal totaling a guaranteed minimum of $60.3 million includes a 15-year contract for bus shelters and benches and a five-year contract for transit advertisements, including rail cars, buses and stations. As part of these contracts, CBS will replace aging bus shelters, implement rigorous cleaning and maintenance programs for advertising venues, and offer new ways for customers to provide feedback, officials said.
“At the core of this agreement is an opportunity to increase MARTA’s advertising revenues while providing a better transit experience to our customers,” said MARTA General Manager Beverly Scott. “This agreement offers new and improved amenities and a much improved cleaning and maintenance schedule.”
According to MARTA, details of the agreement include:
- CBS will replace all shelters that are 10 years old or older throughout the life of the contract. Eventually all 770 advertising and non-advertising shelters will be replaced with a more progressive and contemporary style.
- CBS will implement an aggressive cleaning and maintenance schedule to keep all advertising and non-advertising shelters and benches in “like new” condition.
- A hotline number and web address will be posted at all bus shelters so that customers can report any cleaning or maintenance needs to CBS.
- CBS will improve maintenance programs within rail stations to respond more quickly when ad panels are vandalized.
- A portion of all advertising space will be dedicated to providing customers with MARTA service information. All new bus shelters will be equipped with maps and schedules making it easier for riders to use the MARTA system.
— Special to Railfanning.org
