Driving Excellence tells the inspiring story of one man who, with no formal business training, turned an entire industry on its head. Mark Aesch proves that we really can run government like a business, and provide value to taxpayers and shareholders alike. When Aesch took over the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority in 2004, it was operating with a 27.7-million-dollar deficit, and was poised to raise fares, lay off employees, and slash service. Under Aesch's leadership, those deficits have been eradicated and replaced with multimillion-dollar surpluses; reliance on taxpayer subsidies has been reduced; demand for service has increased at rates three times the national average; and in an unprecedented move, the fare at the Authority's two largest subsidiaries were actually reduced. In Driving Excellence, Aesch shows readers how to create a culture built around selflessness rather than ego, and get employees invested in saving the company. In describing the transition from an ailing business to one that enjoys stunning success--lower fares, multi-million surpluses, and the highest ridership and customer satisfaction levels in twenty years--Aesch offers powerful principles that any organization can implement to achieve exceptional results. Praise for Driving Excellence "Reading this book, business owners, government officials, and shareholders alike will discover what can be accomplished when government actually runs on common sense and creativity." --Steve Forbes, CEO, Forbes Inc. "Americans, take heart: The lessons offered in Driving Excellence will help corporate boards, Congressmen, and even our public schools dazzle us with their performance. The results that Aesch and his team have put up on the scoreboard make it clear our country can have a game plan for winning big again." --Lou Holtz, ESPN commentator and former Notre Dame head coach "Watching the commitment to excellence that Aesch and his team have brought to balancing value to taxpayers with a quality service to their customers should give all of us hope for the future." --Mike Critelli, former CEO, Pitney Bowes, highlighted in Jim Collins' classic leadership book Good to Great "Aesch and his team in Rochester have made it clear that true reform can result in increased ridership, a cut in fares for the public, and an actual reduction in reliance on public subsidies. Managers both public and private across the country would be wise to read this book and learn from the leadership concepts." --George Pataki, former governor of New York