IS SLIMMER FITTER?

Economic recession compels governments to save expenses. As public transport is state-aided, economies have to be effected in this field. As such, public transport operators are obliged to depress costs and increase proceeds. In the matter of costs, a distinction must be made between unchangeable and reductible costs. By way of a comparison with private households, ways and means for possible solutions are specified. Reference is also made to construction plans that are imposed on public transport companies by the Belgium government. A future directed policy however presupposes extra expenses with a view to a further reduction of costs in the long run. These anti-crisis-investments are necessary, if not, public transport will go on deteriorating. Besides costs, receipts should be increased by means of a psychological and commercial strategy. It is demonstrated that merely linear increase of fares has an adverse effect. The question "is slimmer fitter?" can be answered affirmatively on the understanding of a differentiated approach, as well by operators as by governments. These actions create preconditions for take-off, indispensable for prosperity of public transport as soon as an economic upward movement stands out. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0860501124
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Transport Policy. Proceedings of Seminar M held at the PTRC 11th Summer Annual Meeting, University of Sussex.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • De Borger, R
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 77-86

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Conferences; Cost control; Costs; Economic elasticity; Fares; Federal government; Financial capital; Marketing; Operating costs; Policy; Pricing; Public transit; Subsidies; Tariffs
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases
• Geographic Terms: Belgium
• ITRD Terms: 8008: Belgium; 8525: Conference; 224: Cost; 226: Cost benefit analysis; 9009: Decrease; 244: Financing; 183: Government (national); 277: Marketing; 173: Policy; 744: Public transport; 241: Tariff
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00381600
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-86050-112-4
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume P240
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 30 1984 12:00AM