For a long time (until 2019) the Houston METRO was notable for having no ads and it always made the buses and trains look very nice IMO and let riders take a break from the constant barrage of advertisements in our world.

As a result, Metro in 1993 restricted advertising, noting “the board of directors is of the opinion that the appearance of Metro facilities is enhanced by the absence of commercial advertising.”

Later boards even eschewed corporate brands in the names of bus and train depots. The Red Line stop at NRG Park, for example, was changed when the name switched from Reliant to NRG to “Stadium Park/Astrodome.” Officials also turned down a request by the University of Houston to incorporate stadium sponsor TDECU into the name of the rail stop at the campus.