RUNNING PUBLIC TRANSIT IN NEW YORK CITY LIKE A BUSINESS. FINAL REPORT

This report reflects the view that competing in the marketplace, reducing unit cost rather than service, and letting management and labor develop a consensus are the essential ingredients to running public transit in New York City like a business. Transit in NYC is a big business that influences other businesses. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) capital program underwrites 15,000 jobs annually and has become the largest, non-federal public works program in the country. This study explores opportunities to establish and expand partnerships with private enterprise in New York's transit business. It examines trends suggesting the basis for partnerships with private enterprise in New York's transit business. It examines trends suggesting the basis for partnerships with private enterprise in producing and delivering transit services. The report presents and reviews 6 case studies for new partnerships with business--CSX Corporation, ConRail, NJ Transit, AMTRAK, TA's railcar overhaul program and MTA's real estate program. By examining these examples of successful business strategies, a number of general findings are offered along with specific proposals for station improvements and automatic fare collection. Tables and charts summarize areas and opportunities for business and government to form new partnerships that will improve transit service and reduce its costs in New York City. To move forward, the study states that institutional barriers will have to be overcome, and that promoting competition at every stage in the process of delivering transit services is a management tool to raise efficiency and even generate new revenues.

• Corporate Authors:

  City College of New York of the City University of New York

  Institute for Transportation Systems
  New York, NY  United States  10031

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • PARKER, J
  • Miller, M R
  • Savas, E S
• Publication Date: 1988-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 255 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Businesses; Case studies; Competition; Economic conditions; Management; Public private partnerships; Public transit
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Uncontrolled Terms: Transit services
• Geographic Terms: New York (New York)
• Old TRIS Terms: Transit management; Umta section 6
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00487980
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-NY-06-0138-88-1
• Contract Numbers: UMTA-NY-06-0138
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 30 2003 12:00AM