Question: There isn’t supposed to be commercial advertising on TheBus. So why are there AT&T posters advertising its cellphones and network and posters saying "Marriott is Unfair"?
Answer: Commercial advertising is allowed on the city’s bus fleet, under Section 13-6.9 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu.
The city Department of Transportation Services has a contract with AdWalls to handle interior bus advertising, mostly utilizing the "bus card" area above the windows.
The company also asked to use the panel behind the bus operator as well as the floor and the ceiling of the bus as well, so don’t be surprised to see advertising there as well.
AdWalls handles requests for bus advertising and can charge whatever rate it determines, former DTS Director Wayne Yoshioka told us before leaving office last month.
In turn, the city receives $10,000 a month or 33 percent of the gross monthly revenues, whichever is greater.
"This amount is more than what we were able to generate when we were running the program ourselves," Yoshioka said. "The city gets paid a set amount every month, regardless of whether AdWalls has any customers or not."
The city also retains the right to a certain number of bus card slots for its own use.
Yoshioka previously told Kokua Line that a "Boycott the Hyatt Hotel" ad did not violate any ordinance or administrative rules regulating the types of ads posted.
"No political ads are allowed," he explained. "Also, standard rules regarding decency apply. As long as the rules are complied with, the city does not get involved with what type of ad is posted by AdWalls."
Yoshioka said the city reviewed the "Marriott is Unfair" ad "to assure no offensive material was included." Otherwise, the city "is not able to restrict the statement of opinion by an AdWalls customer."
THEBUS ADVERTISING
In addition to political ads, the city ordinance prohibits interior bus ads that bear the name, signature, picture or likeness of any elected federal, state or city official or any candidate for such offices; ads that promote or appeal to racial, religious or ethnic prejudice or violence; ads that are obscene, lewd, lascivious or indecent; ads promoting any illegal, indecent or immoral purpose; and ads of any product or service prohibited by law to be sold or offered for sale to minors.
Section 13-6.10 prohibits advertising on the exterior of a city bus.
Only words, phrases or logos identifying the city, department, transit services contractor or trade name of the city bus system, or anything identifying bus routes and fleet inventory, may be placed on the exterior.
AUWE
To whoever took my portfolio from the Goodwill Store on Beretania Street. I was at the store at about 5 p.m. one day and put it down atop a display table to select shirts to buy. Twenty minutes later I discovered my portfolio was gone. When people take things they won’t use and will only end up throwing away, it doesn’t do anything good for their victims’ attitude toward their fellow human beings. It doesn’t tell me this is the Aloha State, when it becomes evident there’s no such thing as common decency anymore, especially during the holidays. It tells you the family of man is in sad shape.
— Angry Citizen
MAHALO
To an honest person. It was in late November that this "Tutu Pupule" lost her black fanny pack either inside or outside Longs Ala Moana. After inquiring at Longs — no one turned it in — I immediately canceled my credit cards and went home. At about 4 p.m., HPD called to say it had been turned in with nothing missing. Whoever this honest person is, I hope you are blessed with all the good things that life has to offer. — Anonymous
