Organizing Transit in Small Urban and Rural Communities

The justification of government support of rural transit on the basis of the presence of increasing returns to scale and the most efficient regional organization of transit is investigated. Returns to density, size, and scope at most levels of output were found. Cost subadditivity, where a monopoly firm can provide service at a lower cost than two firms, was found for many, but not all observations. The presence of natural monopoly in rural transit in a strict sense is rejected. The findings and implications are directly applicable to rural transit in North Dakota and should be helpful in informing future federal policy as well as rural transit policy, service design, and operation in other states.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=723
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

  Small Urban and Rural Transit Center, North Dakota State University, P.O. Box 6050
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108-6050
• Authors:
  • Ripplinger, David G
• Publication Date: 2012-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 62p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Government funding; Monopoly; Regional transportation; Rural transit; Small cities
• Geographic Terms: North Dakota
• Subject Areas: Economics; Passenger Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01421289
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 24 2012 9:46AM