Transit Agencies Build Innovative Revenue Streams

This article describes how budget pressures have forced some transit agencies to find new sources of income, such as selling ads or even functioning as agents for the state Department of Motor Vehicles. The article focuses primarily on Virginia Regional Transit, which uses an advertising company to place ads on its buses. The agency has also resorted to holding golf tournaments, bowl-a-thons, and other community events to raise additional funds. As a contract agent for the Department of Motor Vehicles, it processes vehicle registrations for local residents and receives a percentage of every transaction. It also has as vehicle emissions testing and state inspection station located in its garage for residents registering vehicles. The article mentions similar efforts by North County Transit District in Oceanside, California.