PRIVATE SECTOR OPTIONS FOR COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The study examines the institutional and economic feasibility of increasing the utilization of the private sector to provide and organize commuter transportation services. It is an evaluation of the private sector's potential to assume a major role in the delivery of collective forms of commuter transportation. The private sector options analyzed in this study are commuter transportation strategies for which the private sector is, at a minimum, responsible for organizing and financing the service. These options include: commuter bus service provided by private bus companies--either unsubsidized or operated under contract to a public agency; employer organized commuter ridesharing programs; and vanpooling services organized by transit agencies, private employers, and ridesharing agencies. By examining the use of these strategies in several metropolitan areas, this study seeks to determine the conditions under which they are utilized, to identify the obstacles to more widespread adoption, and to assess their appropriateness and cost-effectiveness. Because a variety of economic, legal, political, and organizational factors affect the feasibility of those strategies, this study addresses both their institition and economic dimensions. Six major types of private sector strategies are examined in this study. They are: 1) privately provided unsubsidized commuter bus service; 2) contracts with private bus operators for commuter services; 3) service turnovers from public transit agencies to private operators; 4) facilitating private commuter bus services through marketing and equipment assistance; 5) transit agency ridesharing programs; and 6) employer sponsored ridesharing programs. Private sector strategies were examined in eight metorpolitan areas where they have been an important aspect of commuter transportation. These areas are: Boston, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; Norfolk, Virginia; Newport News, Virginia; San Francisco Bay Area-North Bay, California; San Jose, California; Los Angeles, California; and Houston, Texas. Based on these case studies of urban areas where private sector transportation exists, the authors have determined that the service demonstrates significant economic advantages compared to transit agency commuter bus services, but face major institutional and market obstacles to widespread adoption.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of California, Irvine

  Institute of Transportation Studies
  4000 Anteater Instruction and Research Building
  Irvine, CA  United States  92697

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Teal, R F
  • Giuliano, G
  • Brenner, M E
  • ROONEY, S B
  • JACOBS, J K
• Publication Date: 1984-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 15 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Brokerage; Case studies; Commuter service; Contracting; Institutional issues; Private enterprise; Ridesharing; Vanpools
• Uncontrolled Terms: Preconstruction; Subscription bus service
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00389754
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-CA-11-0022-84-1Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: CA-11-0022
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 30 1984 12:00AM