LANSING- School buses are allowed to have advertising on the inside, but many school districts do not use them.

Ken Micklash, a consultant at the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation, said the ads are subject to rules made by the districts.

Advertisements must be above the windows and cannot hang from the ceiling.

“It’s a safety issue,” Micklash said. “Buses still need to pass safety inspections from police.”

Each school district can choose to have them or not.

Their use on Ypsilanti Public Schools buses was almost ended earlier this year.

State Police misinterpreted what was allowed and asked the district to take down the advertisements, said Emma Jackson, the director of public relations and pupil accounting for the district.

“We still have a contract with InSight Media,” she said. “We were asked to take down the ads and planned on taking them down this past summer.”

Jackson said the State Police called her and said there was some miscommunication in their department and that the ads fit all of the standards and rules.

InSight Media, said Jackson, has the responsibility for placing ads in the buses. The rules on what types of ads are allowed on the inside of buses is the responsibility of the school district, she said

So far, no significant income had come from the health clinic, cell phone provider or credit union that place ads in the buses, says Jackson

The Michigan State Police are in charge of determining whether buses pass inspections and if the advertisements obstruct the view of bus drivers.

Lt. Peggy Hines said, “As long as there are no immediate hazards or safety concerns, a bus will not be put out of commission.”

Hines also said there are no state or federal laws against advertising on the inside of buses. State law prohibits ads on the outside.

Holland Public Schools has its own fleet of school buses, transportation secretary Evelyn Moreno said. The district hasn’t considered the prospect of advertising.

Don Sinke, the director of transportation for Grand Rapids Public Schools, also said its buses are ad-free. Grand Rapids uses Dean Transportation buses and it is a company policy not to advertise on school buses.