Yuba City To Boost School District Revenue By Putting Ads In School Buses

YUBA CITY (CBS13) - A local school district could become the first in California to use school buses to generate business. Not on the outside, but on the inside. It could open the door to $50,000 a year.

"I think it's a great idea," said one parent.

It's an idea that could be reality as soon as spring, and Yuba City Unified School District believes it would be the first school district in California to make it happen.

"You would put them in the inside, kind of near the rounded part of the bus," said district superintendent Nancy Aaberg.

Aaberg says they're looking into displaying advertisements inside the district's 50 school buses that transport 2,000 students a day to and from school.

"Over and above that, there's field trips and athletic trips," said Aaberg.

The district also rents out its buses to churches and even wedding parties, and leases them out to other school districts.

"As long as it's something that the school would approve of, and the parents most of all," said parent Linda Lee.

That is one thing the superintendent says they'll do: choose advertisers that promote healthy food and fitness.

"Anything that's positive toward kids," said parent Sinil Kang.

Kang is not only a parent, but a Yuba City business owner as well.

"If you target the kids the right way with the right message and right advertisement, I think it would get the right message across," said Kang.

The potential, the superintendent says, could be huge on many levels. With a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in state money for transportation, the district is turning its wheels to make this possible.

"We're still looking at the potential, but it sounds pretty interesting," said Aaberg.

The superintendent says they'll likely make a decision in the next six months. She's hoping they can make something work, because she doesn't want to close the door on a potential money maker.

State law only allows for advertising inside school buses and only allows districts to make up to $50,000 a year.