Advertising Controversy Surrounding COLTS Buses

Scranton, Lackawanna County - There is a controversy brewing in Lackawanna County.

It involves advertising on buses for the county's transit system, known as COLTS.

One group says it is upset because COLTS recently rejected one of its advertisements.

COLTS officials say they don't really see the controversy and point to a one-page advertising policy that was passed last June.

COLTS says the group's ad was controversial and that means they could reject it.

"We find it to be very ridiculous that the most inoffensive message ever for an atheist on a bus has been considered controversial," community activist Justin Vacula said.

The advertisement had a blue background and the word "Atheists."

Members of the NEPA Freethought society wanted to put it on the sides of buses.

"It's the boards intent not to allow COLTS transit vehicles or property to be a forum for debate and that's what COLTS deemed these ads would be," COLTS executive director Bob Fiume said.

People with the NEPA Freethought society, who admit they ride the buses themselves, are up in arms.

"I see this as a freedom of speech ad. The bus company had hosted ads on its buses saying consider adoption and they also had a link to a website that provided information about Holocaust denial," Vacula said.

COLTS officials say those advertisements came before the policy was adopted.

Fiume says their policy will not allow advertising from many goups and this one is not being singled out.

"There's firearms ads, political signs, drinking alcohol beverages, things like that," Fiume said.

"Our plan now is to publicize the issue, possibly work on a remedy outside or litigation and get the bus ad on the buses," Vacula said.