AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME?
With a major revision in the prescribed Uniform System of Accounts of ICC pending, it would be possible either to retain the full-cost, financial type of accounting or to adopt a cost accounting system such as was considered in the 1930s. Since the 1930s, the "formula" approach has dominated rail cost finding, a system which does not focus on relevant variable or direct costs. To adopt cost accounting it would be first necessary to develop a contribution-to-margin approach to accounting which centers on the relevant direct costs. This can be part of a responsibility accounting system, if the uniform system is sufficient flexible in its definition of cost centers and locations. The result would be relevant data for decision making.
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Supplemental Notes:
- Presented at the 16th Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Forum and Concdian Transportation Research Forum, Toronto, Nov. 4, 1975.
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Corporate Authors:
Office of the Secretary of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Authors:
- Buckwell Jr, J J
- Publication Date: 1975
Media Info
- Pagination: 16 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Accounting; Analysis; Costs; Decision making; Pricing; Profitability; Rates; Regulation; Regulations
- Identifier Terms: U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission
- Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis
- Old TRIS Terms: Government regulations; Rate regulation
- Subject Areas: Finance; Law; Railroads;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00129169
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Feb 19 1976 12:00AM