ORGANIZATIONAL FORM AND TRANSIT PERFORMANCE: A RESEARCH REVIEW AND EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

This research reports the results of a study of the relationships between ownership-management structure and transit agency performance. The study is divided into two areas: a review of past research into the relationship between organizational form and performance and an empirical analysis using Section 15 data for 1979-80. The performance of five different organizational forms was compared: publicly-managed special districts; contract-managed general governments; contract-managed special districts; and privately owned and managed systems. Eight performance dimensions were used for the comparisons: revenue generation, output per dollar, service consumption, public assistance, labor efficiency, vehicle efficiency, safety, and maintenance efficiency. Privately-owned and managed systems were found to be significantly more efficient than the other four types. The relative efficiency of contract-managed systems was no better than publicly-managed systems. In contrast to the efficiency results, private systems were significatly less safe than most types of publicly-owned systems. The report addresses the policy implications of the findings.

• 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

  University Research and Training Program, 400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Perry, J L
• Publication Date: 1984-9

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 61 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Contractors; Institutional issues; Level of service; Nationalization; Ownership; Performance; Private enterprise; Productivity; Reliability; Safety; Subsidies
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Uncontrolled Terms: Performance indicators
• Old TRIS Terms: Umta section 11; Umta section 15
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391615
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-CA-11-0027-2 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: UMTA-CA-11-0027
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 30 1985 12:00AM