THE USE OF PROFILES FOR METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY ANALYSIS. FINAL REPORT

The mid-1980s show that several Texas cities are exploring alternative mechanisms for providing transit service to their increasing urban population. As more urban areas of Texas seek legislative approval to establish metropolitan transit authorities (MTAs), objective information and analyses are needed to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of this organizational unit to deliver transit services. The purpose of this research was to develop current, objective analyses that would describe information valuable for decisions involving the expansion, establishment, and performance of MTAs in Texas. Data was examined from transit systems nationwide to simultaneously examine the performance of transit systems within their performing environment. One objective was to determine if transit systems can be classified into groups of similar performers/profiles based on geographic and/or demographic differences. The next step was to determine the distinctions between systems, mainly distinctions based on organizational structure or taxing capabilities. The overall objective of this study was to find out where Texas transit systems in general and MTAs in particular fit into the profiles, and how they compare with other systems in the U.S. The analyses revealed that 267 transit systems in the U.S. can be profiled into 7 categories based on 9 socioeconomic performance factors. Texas systems, with and without authority organizations, were classified as average. The procedures used in this study to reduce a sufficiently large amount of Section 15 data and census data into meaningful profiles yielded techniques that can be used to make comparisons of transit systems. The clustering analysis technique created a basis for within-group evaluation of system performance.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/hostedpdfs/tti/1081-1F.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/83818
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Womack, K N
  • von Tress, M
  • Fesenmaier, J
• Publication Date: 1986-4

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 54 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cluster analysis; Public transit; Quantitative analysis; Socioeconomic factors; Transit authorities; Transportation planning; Urban transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Clustering; Profiles; Socioeconomic data; Transit services
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Old TRIS Terms: Metropolitan transit authority; Umta section 8
• Subject Areas: Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00463442
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-TX-08-8010-86-1, Tech Rpt. 1081-1F
• Contract Numbers: UMTA-TX-08-8010
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 28 2004 4:28AM