A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ROLES, OPERATIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MARTA AND DADE COUNTY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

This comparative analysis study examines the roles, functions, and decision-making processes of the Boards of Directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and the Dade County Transportation Administration (DCTA) in order to determine the impact of internal and external factors on policy making in their agencies. Detailed interviews were conducted with 62 participants in the mass transit political, planning, and decision-making processes in Metro Atlanta and Dade County. Board-Staff relations were examined and an assessment was made of the relative effectiveness of the Boards. Case studies are provided of the Boards' decision-making in the areas of citizen participation mechanisms, Affirmative Action and Minority Business Enterprise policy, fare increases, route priorities, and intergovernmental relation strategies. The study evaluates the Boards' abilities to handle these issues. Policy recommendations to enhance the operations of both MARTA and DCTA policy making bodies are included in this report. The authors state that the MARTA decision-making process appear to be more political than Dade County, and the data do not support the traditional contention that an authority is more isulated from politics in its policy-making than an elected Board. Both system were acknowledged for having done an excellent job, and the Boards were given high ratings for their ability to make decisions on transportation issues (77.4 percent-Dade County, and 51.7 percent MARTA). The appendix contains an analysis of six groups of participants (Board Members, Policy Staff, Technical Staff, Elected Officials, Citizen Leaders, and Academician/Journalist) involved in the Dade County and MARTA transportation systems.

• Corporate Authors:

  Atlanta University

  Department of Political Science
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30314

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Holmes, R A
  • Davis, E L
  • BROWN, I
• Publication Date: 1984-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 98 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Decision making; Management; Measures of effectiveness; Minorities; Policy making; Politics; Public participation; Transit boards
• Identifier Terms: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness
• Geographic Terms: Miami (Florida)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Highways; Law; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00387963
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-GA-11-0013-84-1Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: GA-11-0013
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 30 1984 12:00AM