THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF TRANSIT SYSTEMS

Goals for the operation of transit services have shifted dramatically during recent years. Commercial "break-even" objectives have been displaced by broader considerations of community and social service. The role of the transit organization now includes the provision of all day area-wide services, the relief of peak period congestion, the carriage of handicapped, and the shaping of land-use development. To meet the costs of these broader policies of public service, provincial and municipal governments are providing financial assistance to supplement farebox revenues. Originally conceived as a blanket compensation for the continued operation of unremunerative services, the level of assistance now warrants the development of new and appropriate management information systems through which to monitor "value for money". These management information systems are needed to increase efficiency in transit operations through the provision of timely data for use in internal management. These systems will also serve a role in the provision of external data to funding agencies concerned with accountability for their investments in transit services. The paper reviews some of the considerations which should be taken into account in the development of procedures for measuring and monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of transit services, and for determining the cost effectiveness of individual operational and management activities. Examples are given of the kinds of information needed to judge how well a property is being run. The need for service-specific information is discussed together with associated problems of cost allocation. A distinction is drawn between the separate interests of management, in budgeting for and monitoring the day-to-day business, and municipal and provincial planning and funding agencies, in setting and monitoring overall targets.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)

  401-1111 Prince of Wales Drive
  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada 
• Authors:
  • BENNETT, J
  • Helm, B
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 39-44
• Serial:
  • RTAC FORUM
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue Number: 3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic efficiency; Management; Measures of effectiveness; Performance; Performance evaluations; Public transit
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness; Efficiency; Performance indicators
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00376968
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 30 1983 12:00AM