RTD Fuels Up for New Happy Rider Ads

Lots of people like to gripe about the RTD. But if you happen to be a fan of the Southern California Rapid Transit District, here’s your chance to appear in one of their advertisements.

For several months, RTD has been running an ad campaign, “Your Neighborhood Bus,” which features various riders who praise the city’s public transportation system. Now, the Los Angeles ad firm that created that campaign, Pool/Sarraille Advertising, is about to begin hunting up people for yet another batch of riders-who-love-RTD ads.

Where do they look for the stars of their ads? Many of the people who appear in the current campaign were suggested by bus drivers or by RTD board members. Also, some RTD staff members randomly interviewed RTD passengers for the king-sized bus sideboards, billboards and print ads. And Anthony Fortuno, marketing director at the RTD, said people can call to volunteer if they’re interested.

But aside from the publicity, there’s not much in it for those featured in the ads. “We didn’t pay them any money,” said Fortuno. But RTD did give each of them several months’ worth of bus passes. Those are worth about $42 apiece.