RTA has made sustainability a priority. At the transit authority's main office, everything that can be recycled is, from paper, batteries, and plastic. There are also friendly reminders to turn lights off when you leave, and recycled paper centerpieces encouraging employees to think sustainability at work.

Now, thanks to a $2.26 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, RTA will be able to retrofit its major facilities to be more energy efficient. RTA was one of 43 transit systems to share $100 million provided through Economic Recovery Act funding. The goal is to support agencies pursuing cutting-edge environmental technologies designed to reduce global warming and increase the number of green jobs, while lessening America's dependence on foreign oil.

Light fixtures, HVAC control systems and roof upgrades will be the focus of the facility energy retrofits. RTA will upgrade a total of eight facilities in all, including Central Rail and Central Bus, its four bus garages, its Paratransit center, and its main office. These facilities were selected because the retrofits will generate the greatest savings. RTA's own internal analysis concluded that more than 60 percent of all facility-related energy usage occurred at these eight facilities.

RTA's route to green technology began more than a decade ago. It started with the conversion to clean-air vehicles. Today, the transit system's bus fleet operates on ultra low-sulfur diesel. The vehicles are also equipped with after-treatment filters that remove 90 percent of all particulate matter from the exhaust. This change has contributed to improved air quality – Northeast Ohio's Ground-Level Ozone Emissions have dropped significantly over the past six years, going from 103 parts per billion (PPB) down to 89 PPB.

Green engineering was also an integral part of the HealthLine design. The 21 hybrid vehicles that operate on the route are powered by clean diesel engines and electric transmissions with 100 kW motors and 600-volt nickel hydride battery packs. This unique power train reduces particulate emissions while dramatically improving fuel efficiency. In addition, the streetscape along the 9.4 mile route was designed to create a healthier environment, with 1,500 trees planted and urban gardens placed at center median stations.

Encouraging cycling is another facet of RTA's green strategy. By the end of 2009 more than 50,000 riders racked their bikes on RTA buses. In May of last year, the transit authority supported Bike to Work Day, providing anyone who got out of their car and onto their bike a free RTA pass. And in the fall, RTA supported the efforts of Cleveland's legal community to reduce its carbon footprint by biking, walking, or taking public transit. Commuters who rely on public transportation to get to and from work, reduce their carbon footprint by 4,800 pounds per year.

The FTA grant will help RTA reduce its carbon footprint. It's anticipated that the transit authority will save more than 6.3 million kWh/year once all the retrofits are complete in 2011. This will lower RTA's energy costs by an estimated $500,000 annually – making it a green movement in more ways than one.

In 2008, RTA implemented a performance management initiative in an effort to reduce expenditures. The initiative, entitled TransitStat, is an adaptation of the New York Police Department's CompStat, which helped the Big Apple monitor and reduce the city's crime rate. Stat-type programs require frequent data gathering, review, and analysis. This continuous review process helps identify problems and accelerates change.

RTA first used TransitStat to study non-operator overtime. This is one of the transit authority's larger variable cost areas. It was believed that overtime could be reduced substantially if operations better monitored actual workload needs. Operations directors were asked to forecast how much overtime they would need for the year. Collectively, the group set a goal of reducing overtime by 30 percent. By year's end, the directors were able to reduce overtime by 47 percent, saving more than $2.3 million in 2008 using the TransitStat process.

With its success in dramatically lowering non-operator overtime, RTA extended the use of TransitStat to manage workers' compensation, electricity consumption, revenue collection, fuel hedging, and other tasks. RTA has since implemented a number of cost-savings changes. In the area of inventory management, the transit authority found that it could save up to nearly $200,000 by outsourcing part replacement part inventory. And after getting the Ohio Law changed, RTA began to purchase fuel through the futures market at significant savings. As a result, it is anticipated that cost of fuel for 2010 will be $8 million less than it was in 2009.

In total, TransitStat has saved RTA nearly $15 million since being implemented. In the future, as RTA works to provide the best possible service with tight financial resources, TransitStat will became an even more invaluable management tool.

Articulated vehicles have found their way to routes other than the HealthLine. In 2009, RTA placed 17 articulated buses into service to address heavy ridership during peak route times. And the decision has paid dividends in both greater customer satisfaction and efficiency.

With a seating capacity of 54 compared to 34 on a standard 40-foot bus, the need for an extra bus to service high passenger volume is eliminated. When you combine standing room, the total capacity is 100 riders. This has made the 60-foot long vehicles an ideal fit for the #22 and #26 bus routes.

The new buses have also scored big points for nimble handling, equipped with a turning radius of 38.6 feet. But even more impressive is how the vehicle is able to deliver savings during a time of tight budget constraints. The larger capacity reduces the number of vehicles and operators needed to service high ridership routes.

"We now look at every possible way to reduce costs," said RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese. "This is a case of how federal funds provided to make a capital purchase is also having a positive impact on operations as well."