MTA releases first MetroCards with ads on the front

Sunday the MTA released MetroCards with a Gap ad on the front, the first change to the gold-and-blue design in 15 years, the MTA said yesterday. About 10% of new cards sold will have the ad -- roughly 1 million cards -- and the MTA said the campaign should last about a month.

The agency announced it would sell the ad space last summer, and the Gap's campaign -- which is also on the back of the cards -- is the first to take advantage of it.

"Opening up the front of MetroCards to advertising gives the MTA a new source of revenue," MTA chief Joseph Lhota said.

"We will monitor public acceptance of ads going forward to ensure that it doesn't interfere with use of the transit system," Lhota said, adding that the MTA should "put every resource it can toward helping its fragile finances."

The MTA has sold ads on the back of MetroCards since 1995, but over the past five years it has made only $16,000 to $165,000 annually, the MTA said.

The agency declined to say how much money could be raised by the new ad space.