Jobs & The Economy
Study after study shows it: public transit delivers more than great rides, our systems power Ohio's economy by generating business activity and creating jobs. Economists have found that every billion dollars invested in transit creates more than 55,000 jobs for people who do everything from build buses to program computers to work in the stores our riders patronize. The graph at right provides a breakdown by employment sector.
In addition to the economic activity generated by transit spending, the 60,000 dedicated men and women who work for Ohio's 61 rural and urban systems support 180,000 jobs in communities across the state.
Transit's ability to fuel growth is one reason we fight hard to secure the funding we need to meet the increased demand for service, upgrade our fleets, and acquire state-of-the-art technology that makes our system's more cost efficient and easier to use.
If you believe, as we do, that investment in transit pays big dividends for all Ohioans, please visit our Action Center and add your voice to the thousands of people who asking state and federal leaders to fully fund public transit.
ECONOMIC IMPACT | FAST FACTS
The $900 million in annual transit spending in Ohio generates $4.1 billion in economic activity.
RTA's Cleveland HealthLine generated $5.6 billion in economic development--more than $114 in return for every $1 invested in the project.
Nationally transit is a $57 billion dollar industry that creates direct employment for 400,000 workers.
Ohio's 60,000 transit workers help create and support 180,000 private and public sector jobs.
Every $10 million spent operating Ohio's transit systems generates $32 million in business sales.
Public transit in Ohio is driving job-creating R&D in alternative fuels, including hydrogen fuel cell production.
Ohio's transit systems: driving the economy and powering job growth
A change in state tax law will erase millions of dollars in funding for transit and could result in service cuts, fare increases, and other negative impacts. OPTA's working hard to find a solution. Click here to for the latest news about this critical issue and to join in our effort to solve this fiscal dilemma.
Every dollar invested in public transit generates four dollars in activity in the general economy. That means the $900,000,000 spent on transit in Ohio generates $3.6 billion in sales of goods and services ranging from steel to tires to software--and it could be billions more if we fully fund our transit agencies.
The Trump Administration's recently released budget blueprint calls for drastic cuts in transit funding. Learn more, then contact your legislator and urge them to invest in America's future by supporting public transportation.
Experts agree: the demand for transit will explode in the years ahead. Are we prepared to make the investments needed to keep up and keep our state and nation growing? View blueprints for the future then make your voice heard in Columbus and Washington.
Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans utilize public transit every day, including veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, commuters and students. Check out the many ways transit improves the quality of life in our biggest cities, small towns, and rural communities.
Transit's commitment to the use of alternative fuels and green energy is driving research and development, business growth, and job creation in a wide array of industries that will power the economy in the 21st Century.