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Raising fares isn’t – can’t be – the only way for rail-transit agencies to offset budget deficits. Curbing expenses must be part of the equation, At Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), further reining in employee overtime costs is part of this year’s plan.

Although the agency’s overtime costs have dropped from $20.4 million in fiscal-year 2000 to $16.2 million in FY2004, WMATA officials should tackle overtime, management rights and other labor-contract issues, a panel of “top transit industry leaders” told agency execs in March, according to a WMATA-issued statement.

To that end, the agency is negotiating with three of its unions to limit the amount of overtime hours employees can work per week. WMATA also is working to fill operations vacancies – which, along with service for special events and absences , are the driving factors behind overtime – by stepping up efforts to recruit and train qualified personnel.