City Council of Los Angeles will ban digital billboards on cars. Council member Bob Blumenfield said that in recent years local drivers have noticed the growing number of digital billboards mounted on the roofs of cars Uber and Lyft.
Today the @LACityCouncil»s Transportation Committee will vote on my motion to make it crystal clear that digital mobile billboards have no place in Los Angeles. Please take a look at my opinion piece in this morning»s @ladailynews to learn more: https://t.co/g1z0k5U3vL. pic.twitter.com/TG818L5761
— Bob Blumenfield (@BobBlumenfield) February 13, 2019
Blumenfield has focused on the Firefly, which installs advertising on vehicles. The Uber and Lyft drivers who agree to install digital screens in their cars, she pays an average of $300 a month.
In November last year, the city Prosecutor’s office said the Firefly, which the installation and operation of digital devices are illegal, in accordance with the laws of the state and the city. But the company did not take into account the warning and continue to advertise on a city taxi.
In December, representatives of the Firefly appealed to the leadership of the Commission for taxi with a request to allow the company to install its devices on the roofs of taxis in accordance with Rule 415 (C) of the Board of public works, which allows you to place commercial advertising on the roof or the trunk of a taxi. According to Blumenfield, the Commission did not respond to a request.
The Board adopted Rule 415 (a) many years ago, before there was a Commission for taxi or digital advertising. It was intended to allow the installation of ad on a taxi if it meets the requirements of state and city rules.
Blumenfield’s office said that state law allows digital advertising in vehicles only as part of a pilot program for buses, managed by the Department of transportation, Antelope Valley, Santa Monica and the University of California, Irvine.
Blumenfield filed a petition to the city attorney with instructions to prepare and submit a draft decree on the abolition of rule 415 (C). Also there are requirements to the Ministry of transport and the police Department of Los Angeles has taken enforcement action against drivers who run vehicles with digital billboards within the city.
Member of the Board believes that digital billboards in the car — it’s just another advertising on the streets, which allows companies to profit at the expense of the quality of life of citizens. In addition, digital advertising can distract drivers. Therefore, we need a clear law that the issue did not become «epidemic».
Proponents of digital technologies stated that a ban on the use of billboards can damage the income of drivers. Andrei Minosyan L. A. Independent Taxi believes that it is necessary to allow taxi drivers to upgrade to get extra income in a highly competitive environment.
