OH: RTA mulls service cuts in 2026

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is mulling service cuts in mid-2026 to cope with budget problems caused by soaring health care costs.

Such cuts would be coupled with a hiring freeze, frozen wages for non-union employees and other cost-savings measures, officials said during an initial 2026 budget presentation to board members on Tuesday.

Specific route cuts, however, were not outlined.

“We want to make sure we are able to cut around the fringes, and make sure we do everything we can before we attack service, because that is the bread and butter of what we do,” General Manager and CEO India Birdsong Terry said.

Health care costs are expected to rise from $34 million in 2024 to $45.6 million this year, and are being budgeted at $56 million in 2026, said Eric Vukmanic, manager of RTA’s Office of Management and Budget.

Plans are to save $1.7 million through a hiring freeze, reduce overtime costs by $1 million and identify $2.5 million in non-personnel budget cuts, among other measures, Vukmanic said.

The preliminary budget calls for 2,367 positions in 2026, down 56 from the 2,423 that were budgeted for 2025.

Vukmanic said failing to identify savings could eliminate RTA’s reserve fund by 2027.

Birdsong Terry said a plan for service cuts would be determined only after more is known about the budget and what can be saved in other ways.

“We are attempting every angle possible to make sure we don’t end up in service cut territory prematurely, and reduction in force prematurely,” Birdsong Terry said. She said any cuts would come only after months of warnings for passengers.

Service cuts don’t necessarily mean route cuts; they could involve buses and trains running less frequently.

Chris Martin, chair of a group called Clevelanders for Public Transit, urged RTA to search for other revenue sources - instead of making service cuts. He suggested increasing in the countywide sales tax dedicated to RTA or asking the city of Cleveland to contribute parking tax money now used to pay bills for the football stadium.

Despite the potential cuts, RTA projects ridership to remain steady at close to 26.5 million in both 2025 and 2026. It operates just over 40 rail and bus routes.

There will be a second budget presentation in December before the trustees are asked to approve the 2026 budget, likely during their Dec. 16 board meeting.

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