It was a hot day in the summer of 2022 when Ayanna Matlock called to offer me a job in SEPTA’s brand-new Transformation Office. At the time, I was serving as chair of SEPTA’s Youth Advisory Council, a volunteer role I took on while studying at Temple University. As an advocate — and an enthusiastic rider of the B and the 23 — I knew I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to shape SEPTA from within. Two months later, I stepped through the large revolving glass door at SEPTA’s 1234 Market Street headquarters and got to work.
Knowing that transforming bureaucracy can be difficult, I wasn’t sure how many changes we’d be able to make. After two and a half years, though, we’ve done more than I could have imagined with hundreds of employee-generated ideas implemented — and we’re just getting started.
Formally named the Efficiency and Accountability (E&A) Program, my group is charged with transforming SEPTA into a more lean and nimble public agency. Although many of the changes we have made are behind-the-scenes improvements that many riders will never see, they are currently saving SEPTA $91 million per year, with another $76 million in savings to be realized soon. Given SEPTA’s $213 million deficit, and the potential for a 45 percent reduction in bus, train and trolley services, and a 21.5 percent fare increase, these savings are as timely as ever. Equally important, we are showing that bureaucracy can improve itself and be reflexive to the needs of the moment.
Like many government agencies, SEPTA has attempted to introduce changes and streamline processes before. What sets our E&A approach apart from similar efforts is the breadth of employee engagement that defined this project from the start — including the timing with the Covid-19 pandemic ongoing. While our trains, buses and trolleys continued moving essential workers, we were losing $1 million per day because most fare-paying riders were staying at home. We asked employees across SEPTA to submit their transformation-focused ideas and promised that each would get the consideration it deserved.
In 2021, hundreds of ideas were submitted and reviewed by our team. We whittled those ideas down, paired each with a business case and implementation plan, and created a program of 140 transformation initiatives. On top of the dollar efficiencies, our program aimed to make us a better organization — improving our organizational health and employee wellbeing, while also developing our internal capacities.
When I describe the program to friends and family, I use the example of our vehicle fuel efficiency initiative. Our vehicle engineers are some of the most creative people I’ve ever met, and it came as little surprise that when asked how we could make our fleet more efficient, they spoke up.
Although many of the changes we have made are behind-the-scenes improvements that many riders will never see, they are currently saving SEPTA $91 million per year, with another $76 million in savings to be realized soon.
Chuck, who has spent 30 years with SEPTA in rail vehicle maintenance, had an idea for the Regional Rail fleet. By installing a small shut-off switch, the train cars can now turn off their HVAC units when they’re not needed, saving over $600,000 per year in traction power costs. These small tweaks that result in big savings are emblematic of our larger effort to find previously overlooked ways to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
On top of these savings, our program has found a few ways to bring SEPTA new revenue. For example, by utilizing online auctions and public solicitations, SEPTA is now able to sell old buses, various scrap metals, and old batteries that are past their useful life. Last year alone, we sold 125 retired buses and 25,920 batteries, totaling just over $1 million in new revenue.
Many of the 140 initiatives we embarked on in 2021 are now business-as-usual. With this success in hand, last year we built an idea submission app called SEPTA Solutions and went on an internal tour to make sure each of our 9,500 employees had the opportunity to share their improvement ideas.
Once again, hundreds of employees raised their hands. My team and I then locked ourselves in an 11th floor conference room for weeks to develop these ideas into a highly focused plan that aims to solve some of SEPTA’s pressing challenges. The plan we are working on now includes initiatives focusing on things like reducing fare evasion and building more homes near stations. Together, these 70 new initiatives are worth $76 million in new revenues, cost savings, and efficiency improvements.
When I think back to that job offer I got from Ayanna in 2022 and all that we’ve accomplished since, I can’t help but feel our efforts have really helped drive change. Whether from the dollars saved and generated or the internal capabilities built, SEPTA is a better organization than when we began this project.
Today, Efficiency & Accountability is more than just a program. It shows that bureaucracy can be agile and that we can adapt to changing circumstances.
Benjamin Aitoumeziane is a transportation program manager in the Transformation Office at SEPTA.
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