PRIVATE SECTOR ALTERNATIVES FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Two opposite approaches have characterized the delivery of mass transit services in urban areas: Exclusive private sector provision, either regulated or unregulated; and exclusive public provision. Cost and allocative inefficiencies inherent in either approach are evident from this analysis. There are a variety of approaches that comprise a middle ground. These combine government intervention with private sector provision. As this analysis has shown, these approaches can result in significant increases in both allocative and cost efficiency potential. Most combination approaches do remain untried. This is due to past federal policy which has encouraged exclusive public sector provision. It is also due to rather limited experience with other alternatives. It is partly due to lack of an adequate supply of private operators in many urban areas and the labor problems that may arise if the private sector is integrated into public operations. To a large extent, howerer, these approaches remain untired because many transit agencies lack the incentive or motivation to adopt non-transit agencies lack the incentive or motivation to adopt non-traditional approaches. If public transit is to improve, to operate efficiently, and provide effective service, then public-private sector provision may offer an important means of achieving these goals.

• Record URL:
  • https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015021808608?urlappend=%3Bseq=451
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7938948
• Corporate Authors:

  Eno Transportation Foundation

  1250 I Street, NW, Suite 750
  Washington, DC  United States  20005
• Authors:
  • Pagano, A M
• Publication Date: 1984-7

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 433-447
• Serial:
  • Transportation Quarterly
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Eno Transportation Foundation
  • ISSN: 0278-9434

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic efficiency; Federal government; Labor agreements; Policy; Private enterprise; Productivity; Public transit
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Government policies
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Highways; Law; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00387904
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 30 1984 12:00AM