CBS Outdoor is Illegally Wrapping Streetcars and Buses in Vinyl Advertising and We Need Your Help to Stop It
We have obtained a copy of CBS Outdoor’s contract with the TTC for advertising and have discovered that CBS is operating illegal advertising on streetcars and buses. Here is the contract:
Here are the schedules: Schedule A, Schedules B to H.
Article 8.4 of the contract states:
Daylight Operation Restriction: Buses and/or streetcars used for whole vehicle advertising will be restricted to Daylight (dawn to dusk) Operation only
Unfortunately CBS Outdoor has not been complying with the contract and has been wrapping nighttime operating buses and streetcars in whole vehicle wraps. Here are some examples:
Streetcar 4107, 1:08AM, January 27, 2007:
Streetcar 4255, 10:05PM, February 19, 2007
In addition, Schedule E of the contract states that:
BUSES… windows can only be covered to a maximum of 50% for each window by vinyl products.
STREETCARS… window vinyl when applied to the open side windows beyond the doors and on the closed side can only be covered to a maximum of 50% for each window by vinyl products.
CBS hasn’t been complying with the 50% provision. For example, more than 50% of these windows are covered in vinyl ads:
Bus 8069, July 3, 2006, 2:47 PM:
Streetcar 4236, April 9, 2006, 3:06 PM:
What we need from you is this: whenever you see a streetcar or bus with a vinyl wrap operating after dusk, or if you see a vehicle with vinyl covering more than half a window, take a photo of the vehicle with the vehicle identification number in the photo. Send us the photo and once we collect enough evidence, we will forward a complaint to the TTC.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Rami, surely such wraps are done at the yard, and it is therefore TTC dispatchers fault for selecting incorrect vehicles for night runs, or alternatively TTC HQ for not so directing the dispatchers?
It’s always staff’s fault. Just like it’s staff’s fault that we have illegal billboards on private property. -Rami
January 26th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
While these are interesting provisions of the contract, it’s the first I have heard of them and I expect that (a) the people who dispatch the cars and (b) the people who design the wraps don’t know about these conditions either. We have had 100% coverage for years, and as far as night operation goes, scheduling things so that the advertising vehicles are only out in the daytime would be a nightmare.
Methinks one hand at the TTC does not know what the other hand is doing, a typical situation.
Also, be careful with the term “illegal”. Being in breach of the contract for >50% coverage is not “illegal”, and which cars or buses go out at night is entirely a TTC decision over which the advertiser has no control.
January 26th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
As an extension of my previous comment and looking back at Mark’s:
We are not “blaming the staff” — I believe that they probably don’t know that these vehicles are to be assigned to daytime only runs.
Steve
Thanks for the great input Steve. -Rami
September 10th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Told you Viacom is evil!