Advertise on Muni

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We welcome your interest in advertising with us and encourage you to get in touch—but before you do, please review our advertising policy.

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SFMTA Advertising Policy

Effective November 22, 2017
I. Purpose
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) operates the seventh largest public transit system in the country and exercises authority under the San Francisco Charter to manage the use by all modes of the City's transportation network. The SFMTA authorizes advertising on and in SFMTA facilities and property (including, but not limited to, buses, light rail vehicles, trolley cars, stations, parking garages, street furniture, cable cars, historic railcars and fare media) and under SFMTA contracts (hereafter “on SFMTA property”) for the purpose of generating significant revenue to support SFMTA operations. Advertising shall not interfere with the SFMTA's delivery of transit or other services to the public or with the SFMTA's performance of its many other duties in maintaining the City's transportation network. Advertising on SFMTA property shall be consistent with the Agency's Strategic goals to:

a. Create a safer transportation experience for everyone.
b. Make transit, walking, bicycling, taxi, ride-sharing and car-sharing the preferred means of travel.
c. Improve the environment and quality of life in San Francisco.
d. Create a workplace that delivers outstanding service.

In keeping with its proprietary function as a provider of public transportation, the SFMTA does not intend by accepting advertising to convert its property into an open public forum for public discourse, debate or expressive activity. Rather, the SFMTA's fundamental purpose is to provide transportation services, and the SFMTA accepts advertising as a means of generating revenue to support its operations. In furtherance of this discrete and limited objective, the SFMTA retains control over the nature of advertisements accepted for posting on SFMTA property and maintains its advertising space as a limited public forum. As set forth in Section II, this Policy prohibits advertisements that could detract from the SFMTA's goal of generating revenue or interfere with the safe and convenient delivery of SFMTA services to the public. Through this Policy, the SFMTA intends to establish uniform, viewpoint-neutral standards for the display of advertising on SFMTA property.

II. Advertising Standards
A. Permitted Advertising Content
The following classes of advertising are authorized on SFMTA property if the advertising does not include any material that qualifies as Prohibited Advertising, as described in subsection (B) below:

a. Commercial and Promotional Advertising. Advertisements that promote or solicit the sale, rental, distribution or availability of goods, services, food,
entertainment, events, programs, transactions, donations, products or property (real or personal) for commercial or noncommercial purposes or more generally promotes an entity that engages in such activities.
b. Governmental Advertising. Notices or messages from government entities, meaning public entities specifically created by government action, that advance specific government purposes.
c. Public Service Announcements. Announcements which are sponsored by either a government entity or a nonprofit corporation that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and which are directed to the general public or a significant segment of the public and relate to:

  • Prevention or treatment of illnesses;
  • Promotion of safety or personal well-being;
  • Education or training;
  • Art or culture;
  • Provision of children and family services;
  • Solicitation by broad-based contribution campaigns which provide funds to multiple charitable organizations; or
  • Provision of services and programs that provide support to low income citizens, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

B. Prohibited Advertising Content
Advertising is prohibited on SFMTA property if it includes any content that falls under one or more of the following categories:

  1. Political and Public Issue. Any material that (i) promotes or opposes a political party, promotes or opposes any state or local ballot measure or the election of any candidate or group of candidates for federal, state, judicial or local government offices, (ii) is political in nature or contains political messages, including advertisements involving political or judicial figures and/or advertisements involving an issue that is political in nature in that it directly or indirectly implicates the action, inaction, prospective action or policies or a governmental entity, or (iii) expresses or advocates an opinion, position or viewpoint on a matter of public debate about economic, political, religious or social issues.
  2. False or Misleading. Any material that is or the sponsor reasonably should have known is false, fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, or would constitute a tort of defamation or invasion of privacy.
  3. Copyright, Trademark or Otherwise Unlawful Infringement. Any material that infringes on any copyright, trade or service mark, title or slogan.
  4. Obscenity or Pornographic. Any material that is obscene or pornographic.
  5. Defamation or Lawless Action. Any material that is clearly defamatory or advocates imminent lawlessness or violent action.
  6. Alcohol, Tobacco, or Firearms. Any material that constitutes commercial advertising of alcohol, tobacco or firearms.
  7. Profanity and Violence. Advertisement that contains any profane language, or portrays images or descriptions of graphic violence, including dead, mutilated or disfigured human beings or animals, the act of killing, mutilating or disfiguring human beings or animals, or intentional infliction of pain or violent action towards or upon a person or animal, or that depicts weapons or devices that appear to be aimed or pointed at the viewer or observer in a menacing manner.
  8.  Insulting, Degrading, Disparaging, Demeaning or Offensive. Any material directed at a person or group that is intended to be (or reasonably could be interpreted as being) (i) insulting, degrading, disparaging, demeaning or offensive so as to be reasonably foreseeable that it will incite or produce lawless action in the form of retaliation, vandalism or other breach of public safety, peace and order, or (ii) disparaging or disrespectful to persons, groups, governments, businesses or organizations, including advertisements that portray individuals as inferior, evil or contemptible.
  9. Harmful or Disruptive to Transit System. Any material that is reasonably likely to cause harm to, disruption of or interference with the transportation system.
  10. Unsafe Transit Behavior. Any advertisement that encourages or depicts unsafe behavior with respect to transit-related activities, such as non-use of normal safety precautions in awaiting, boarding, riding upon or disembarking from transit vehicles.
  11. Adverse to SFMTA. Advertising, or any material contained in it, that is directly adverse to the commercial or administrative interests of the SFMTA, or that tends to disparage the quality of service provided by the SFMTA, or that tends to disparage public transportation generally.
  12. SFMTA Graphics and References. Advertising that contains SFMTA graphics, logos or representations without the express written consent of the SFMTA.
  13. Cannabis. Any material that constitutes commercial advertising of cannabis, cannabis products, cannabis businesses, or cannabis services.

III. Advertising Administration
SFMTA advertising contractors shall be responsible for the daily administration of the SFMTA's advertising in a manner consistent with this Policy and with the terms and conditions of their agreements with the SFMTA.
SFMTA advertising contractors shall post the following language with every advertisement, in a size and location approved by the SFMTA: "The views expressed in this advertisement do not necessarily reflect the views of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency."
This Policy shall be effective upon adoption but shall not be enforced to impair the obligations of any contract in effect at the time of its approval. It shall be incorporated into any new contract for advertising on SFMTA property. SFMTA contracts granting advertising rights shall include this Policy as an attachment and require the following:
a. Any advertising contractor must comply with the advertising standards set forth in this Policy, as they may be amended from time to time.
b. Any advertising contractor must display only those advertisements that are in compliance with the Policy.
c. Any pilot programs or experimental advertisements must be approved by the SFMTA in advance.

November 22, 2017, Advertising Policy, PDF

Application and Approval Process

  1. Review the SFMTA advertising policy to see if your organization and campaign meet the criteria for the PSA program
  2. Email MuniPSAs@sfmta.com with your inquiry and provide the following:
    • Organization name
    • Brief description of campaign
    • Campaign Run Dates
    • Desired quantity
    • Best point of contact (please limit to one point of contact per campaign)
    • PSA Campaigns require a minimum of ten weeks notice. Staff will respond to complete requests in the order received.
  3. If your request is approved for the PSA program, you will receive a FAQ sheet, PSA agreement, SFMTA logo files and example designs.  Please review all the provided materials to ensure a smooth process and partnership.
  4. After PSA agreement is signed, you will begin the design process with the graphic designer of your choice.  The SFMTA is not responsible for the design or printing of your campaign.  
  5. Once you have finalized your design, please send it back to the SFMTA point of contact for approval. Note that finalized artwork must be sent to SFMTA Marketing a minimum of five weeks prior to your campaign launching. 
  6. All PSA campaigns must be approved by the SFMTA prior to sending to print. Campaigns not approved by the SFMTA staff will not be installed within the Muni system.

Advertising Spaces Specs: Bus Only

Queen (exterior space)

  • Finished Size: 30”h x 88”w. 
  • Mechanical size: 15”w x 44”h (Safety area: 27”h x 86”w) 
  • Required vinyl substrates: 3M – IJ36//VINYL: Removable Transit Vinyl

Tail (exterior space, back of bus)

  • Finished size: 21”h x 70” w (Safety area: 18”h x 67”w)
  • Mechanical size: 10-1/2” h x 35” w 
  • Required vinyl substrates: 3M – IJ36//VINYL: Removable Transit Vinyl 

Interior Car Cards

  • Finished Size: 11”h x 28”w 
  • Mechanical Size: 5-1/2”h x 14”w (Safety Copy Area: 9-7/8”h x 27”w)
  • Stock: 18 pt. Card Stock 

Example of Approved PSA Campaign

SFMTA PSA Advertising Example

Advertise on Muni buses, light rail trains, cable cars, historic trolleys, parking garages, Forest Hill station and Central Subway

SFMTA Muni advertising is a key strategy to build connections with consumers in San Francisco, California. Muni transit media builds awareness for your brand and can drive results like sales, visits, web traffic, and other key metrics.

To advertise on SFMTA Muni, contact Intersection, our advertising partner, for rates, products, and availability.

Intersection logo

Intersection's San Francisco market page

Omari Patterson
Director of Sales, San Francisco
M: 415-307-1158

Intersection
564 Market St, Suite 314
San Francisco, CA 94104

Advertise In Transit Shelters and Kiosks

If you are interested in posting advertisements on or inside bus shelters or on SFMTA sales kiosks, please contact:

Clear Channel Outdoor®
555 12th St, Ste 950
Oakland, Ca 94607
510.446.7216
stephaniesaporita@clearchannel.com

Please ask to speak to an Account Executive.

Advertise In Muni Stations

If you are interested in posting advertisements in Muni stations, please refer to BART's advertising page.

Public Service Advertising (PSA) Requests

As of December 1, 2022, this program is on hold. If you have an active and confirmed agreement it will be honored.

Please contact MuniPSAs@SFMTA.com should you have any questions.

The SFMTA retains a portion of transit vehicle advertising for Public Service Announcements (PSAs) which are sponsored by either a government entity or a nonprofit corporation that is exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All PSA advertisements must adhere to the SFMTA Advertising Policy and any other standards required by the SFMTA. All entities requesting to place a PSA will be responsible for the costs of producing the advertisements, coordinating with the SFMTA’s advertising contractor for posting, and transmitting the advertisements to the contractor for posting. The SFMTA provides the ad space, installation and deadlines for artwork and installation at no cost. All PSA announcements must be approved by the SFMTA and include the SFMTA’s logo and multilingual 311 tag. Requests for PSA advertising space must be made a minimum of 10 weeks in advance of installation.