Wrap It Up! Metro Buses Become Rolling Ads

Two buses, one in D.C. and the other in Arlington, are wrapped in a yellow and blue ad for a Tysons Corner IT firm.

The buses hit the streets yesterday and are the first in Metro's 1400 fleet.

Juniper Networks is paying $5,000 a month for each bus ad. Only the windows and the front of the buses are uncovered.

Other transit systems have been selling the full bus wraps, but Metro Transit Police wanted to be able to see inside for security reasons.

Metro's board approved the wraps in June as part of fiscal year 2005 budget. They also approved covering subway cars, installing televisions in trains and buses, playing silent commercials in train tunnels and installing automatic teller machines in rail stations.

Metro officials say the subway car wraps will debut in a month or two.

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)