There were over 180 unduplicated methods of saving money or generating revenues submitted by the 75 transit systems responding to the survey. All of these techniques are included in the full report. However, it is important to understand that there are six common themes among these many different techniques.
Many people have a perception of transit agencies as black holes of unending expenses.
However, transit agencies have many assets that are of value to others and can become profit centers. One of transit's defining characteristics is that it provides transportation linkages for people and communities. Positive opportunism encourages transit managers to envision new linkages with other public or private entities that can generate revenue as well as additional support for transit. What has changed is the need to expend the list of partners. Transit agencies do not have the financial resources to independently accomplish all they would like to do in their communities, nor can they rely as heavily on a federal government that is hoping to reduce its massive deficit.