Advertisers catch the school bus

By Emily Bazar, USA TODAYTue Dec 27, 7:29 AM ET

School districts desperate to plug budget holes are turning their buses into billboards for soft drinks, credit unions and car dealerships.

Advertisements have popped up on buses in Arizona and Massachusetts. New ones are set to appear in Michigan and Colorado.

Dozens more districts from Florida to Pennsylvania may join them.

"This will spread across the nation, because there's so much money that will come into schools as a result of doing this," says Daniel Shearer, director of transportation at the Scottsdale Unified School District.

The Arizona city just outside Phoenix began displaying ads on the sides of its buses last December. Advertisers include real estate agencies, a local toy store and an ambulance company. The district anticipates the ads will bring in $300,000 this year and up to $900,000 in a few years.