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Environment
Why does TransLink want me to buy a car?
That’s the message in advertisements down the sides of buses
By Graham Anderson
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Seeking an answer to this question, I found myself at a Public Consultation with TransLink in Port Moody. "No, we haven't considered that auto mall advertisements on public transit is a problem," they answered. They said no work had been done before signing the 10-year marketing contract to confirm that advertising for auto malls would produce a net financial benefit for the transit authority. Adverse financial effects were not researched, and environmental impacts were also ignored.
A day on transit doesn't go by without me being exposed to numerous advertisements for cars, auto malls, and rental companies. These advertisements provide additional funding for service maintenance and improvements for buses, but many of the ads on the transit system directly conflict with the vision of the regional Transit Authority.
It makes sense that an auto mall would like to reach a market of people who don't already own a vehicle. But providing this medium is certainly out of line with TransLink's environmental goal of reducing “the impacts of vehicle emissions through [our] ability to influence the use of vehicles." Nor is it conducive to increasing ridership on the transit system (which also boosts revenue for TransLink), limiting congestion on our roads, or lowering our greenhouse gas emissions.
Our best interests
It is hard to argue that auto mall advertising on buses is in the best interest of our public transit system or Lower Mainland residents in general. It is certainly ironic that the "Buy a Car" message is displayed in all facets of our transit system.
But why do we let these businesses market vehicles to those who are currently choosing a more environmentally sound commuting alternative?
TransLink's transit network represents the largest single advertising medium in the province, with over 270 million passengers using the service annually. It makes a lot of sense for TransLink to harness this marketing potential as a lucrative revenue stream that can be used to maintain and expand services. But how do we know a net financial benefit for TransLink even results from advertising for the competition: personal vehicles?
Not much really
TransLink's contract with Lamar Advertising guarantees an income of about $8 million this year, and the highest estimate of vehicle-related advertising I obtained is 15%. So, this additional $1.2 million in revenue from car advertisers covers just 0.2% of the $550 million annual expenditures on public transit alone. It would hardly "break the bank" if TransLink missed out on this revenue. In fact, if one considers lost ridership and fare revenues due to successful marketing and purchase of vehicles, these ads may actually be costing our Public Transit system dearly. If just 1,500 additional people drive cars every day as a result of the advertising, the net financial benefit to TransLink from advertising for cars would be nil.
Even if we assume that there is a worthwhile financial benefit to maximizing ad revenue, restrictions must be set to ensure that what is being promoted is in the best interest of society. This has been recognized: tobacco, alcohol, and political advertising have been banned by the Board of Directors at TransLink.
TransLink has even gone beyond that and reserved 10% of marketing space on its system for its own purposes, and much of this space is donated to non-profit organizations that promote sustainable transportation initiatives such as bike-to-work week. So it is understood that promoting sustainable transportation alternatives is something that is desirable for TransLink, and they do forgo income to promote it.
Why then is TransLink not willing to forgo income to stop promoting personal vehicle use, which is unsustainable?
A transport planner pointed out that TransLink doesn't necessarily want people to stop buying cars—after all, they are also responsible for building and maintaining roads in the region. Maybe this is the answer to my question.
Though the integration of public transportation and road maintenance budgets in the same public entity is likely part of the core problem, this response is simply not good enough. In light of recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is clear that we must reduce our carbon dioxide emissions, and transportation in cities is an obvious place to start. But to do this successfully, a cohesive message that promotes sustainable transportation alternatives must be found, if not in society in general, at least on our public transit system.
A symbolic gesture
Considering the inherent power of marketing and the scope of this system as an advertising medium, it is TransLink's responsibility to promote only products and ideas that are in the interest of society. If TransLink prohibited or restricted vehicle-related advertising on our public transit system, at the very least it would be a powerful symbolic gesture. The extra space generated, if not filled by other paid advertisements, could be donated to non-profit organizations in the region, increasing the portion of reserved adspace.
But regardless of how the fresh adspace is utilized, the time has come for us to be more selective about the messages we propagate on our bus and rapid transit lines.
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