STRATEGIC PLANNING IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE TRANSIT AGENCIES: A DISCUSSION OF PRACTICE AND ISSUES. FINAL REPORT

This report provides an in-depth look at strategic planning in the transit industry, focusing on small and medium-size transit agencies. The specific objectives of this research are to: 1) explore the use of strategic planning in the transit industry; 2) explore the use of other managerial tools that are related to strategic planning and that might facilitate its introduction into the transit industry; 3) identify obstacles hindering the application of strategic planning in transit agencies; 4) assess the effect of agency size on the use or potential application of strategic planning; and 5) identify the special obstacles that face small transit agencies in the implementation of strategic planning. A two-step methodology was adopted to accomplish theses objectives: 1) a nationwide survey of transit managers and 2) an in-depth case study of the development of a strategic planning process in a small transit agency. The survey provided a broad picture of strategic planning in the transit industry. In the survey, a spacial effort was made to distinguish different categories of agency size which helped assess the impact of agency size and focused attention on the special problems of small transit agencies. The case study provided a different yet complimentary perspective on strategic planning in a small transit agency. By discussing the step-by-step development of the process in a specific small transit agency, the case study provided in-depth analysis of several of the issues that were identified in the survey. It also helped identify a host of managerial and organizational issues that are raised by such a process. This report also includes a brief discussion of the concept of strategic planning and outlines the basic components of a classic strategic planning model. The major findings of the research are summarized and conclusions are drawn as to the use and potential of strategic planning in small and medium-size transit agencies.

• Corporate Authors:

  Institute for Urban Transportation

  825 East Eighth Street
  Bloomington, Indiana,   United States  47405

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hemily, B
• Publication Date: 1986-8

Media Info

• Pagination: 124 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Data collection; Management; Public transit; Size; Strategic planning; Surveys
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Old TRIS Terms: Transit management; Umta section 11
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00463481
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-IN-11-0011-87-1
• Contract Numbers: IN-11-0011
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 28 2004 4:28AM