Middle Peninsula Rideshare has launched a new advertising campaign to try to attract more riders into its database.

Beth Johnson said that the marketing effort, which began in March, has large “wrappers,” a form of banner, placed on five Bay Transit buses in operation in the region. Johnson is finance director for the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission and Rideshare coordinator.

“It’s a traveling billboard,” Johnson said, as the buses pass numerous motorists while on their local rounds.

The local Rideshare program has a one-year contract with Bay Transit for the banners to be on the buses, Johnson said, and pays $1,200 per bus per year for the marketing effort.  

Bay Transit operates one specially-tagged bus in each of the counties of Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex and Essex, plus the Town of Tappahannock. In addition, Johnson said one marked bus serves the counties of King and Queen and King William, plus the Town of West Point. Urbann...