Adding ads

If you've ever seen the Cortland Transit buses going around town you'll notice they all look a little different.

Not in color-they are all the standard eye-catching green that's easily spotted from afar- but in terms of the advertisements. Some are fully wrapped, like Square Deal Machining's wrap on two buses, and some have an ad that runs across the side of the bus, like Molina Health Care, and others have a full side wrap, like the Cortland Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

The newest advertisements, installed last week, are for Truxton Academy Charter School, and appear across the side of three buses.

Pictured here, staff from Sellco install an advertisement on the side of one of the Cortland Transit buses, last week.

Advertisements can come in different sizes, depending on the bus they go on, and they are all handled by way of a contract through Seven Valleys Health Coalition. Cortland County owns the buses and through a subcontract with the county Planning Department, Seven Valleys Health Coalition manages the advertisements and promotes the local transit system.

Sellco staff are pictured here attaching the Truxton Academy Charter School advertisement to the side of one of the buses last week. They flatten out the image to ensure there are no wrinkles in the adhesive. Typical contracts last six months or a year for a wrap.

When choosing placement, advertisers can opt for either traffic side or curbside, and costs vary depending on the side and size of bus chosen.

The advertisements are built to withstand the elements and General Manager of First Transit Ryan Oakley said they have never had any problems with the ads coming off before their time is up.

Patty Dawson, one of the founding team members of the Truxton Academy Charter School and chair of the marketing committee, said the school felt that having an advertisement spotted around the county on the sides of the buses would be a good way to build both awareness about the new school and to boost enrollment.

The new charter school, the first of its kind rural charter school in the state, starts Sept. 4 as a kindergarten to grade 2 institution in its first year, then next year it will add grade 3.

"What we're looking for right now is to boost enrollment for this fall and also to continue recruitment for next year as well," said Dawson. "So in six months we will be pushing for the next boost in enrollment and at that point we will decide if we want to continue to do another bus ad."

Ads are installed, fabricated and removed by Sellco.

If interested in advertising on the buses, call Catherine Wilde the Mobility Management Coordinator at 607-756-4198.