ORGANIZATIONAL FORM AND TRANSIT PERFORMANCE: A RESEARCH REVIEW AND EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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 general governments; 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 significantly less safe than most types of publicly-owned systems. The report addresses the policy implications of the findings.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • The Main Volume to this Executive Summary, under the same title, is: UMTA-CA-11-0027-84-5, TRIS 391615.
• 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

• Pagination: 10 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Contractors; Economic efficiency; Institutional issues; Operating costs; Performance evaluations; Prestressing; Private enterprise; Productivity; Revenues; Safety; Transit operating agencies
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Partial prestressing
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Finance; Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00394508
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-CA-11-0027-84-4
• Contract Numbers: CA-11-0027
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 31 1985 12:00AM