THE SOURCES OF OUTPUT CHARGE IN URBAN BUS TRANSIT SYSTEMS

This study analyzes the sources of recent changes in bus transit output using an econometric growth model. The model is derived from the economic theory of production and cost functions. Using pooled data from 1979 to 1985 for 74 transit systems selected based on consistency in reporting, the growth model is estimated and used to decompose the changes in output. It is found that for passenger miles pure technical change moderates any recent gains that may have occurred. Taken together, the background variables contribute positively to output change. The effects of pure technical change and the background variables are not substantial enough to exhaust the gains in passenger mile. Thus, for passenger mile, there has been a reversal in its declining trend. With regard to vehicle mile, the decline continues and is attributed to pure technical change and the background variables. For the average transit system the sources of the decline in vehicle miles are pure technical change, vehicle capacity utilization, the federal share of public support, the peak-base ratio, the average daily hours of vehicle operation, and the ratio of employer and employee paid benefits. The implications of the findings are also examined in this paper.(A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: https://www.library.northwestern.edu/find-borrow-request/requests-interlibrary-loan/lending-institutions.html
• Authors:
  • Obeng, K
• Publication Date: 1990-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 163-185
• Serial:
  • International Journal of Transport Economics
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue Number: 2
  • ISSN: 0391-8440
  • Serial URL: http://www.libraweb.net/riviste.php?chiave=67

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Costs; Economic efficiency; Level of service; Mathematical models; Operating costs; Personnel; Public transit; Urban areas; Vehicle miles of travel
• Uncontrolled Terms: Use
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 224: Cost; 237: Economic efficiency; 653: Level of service; 6473: Mathematical model; 221: Operating costs; 102: Personnel; 744: Public transport; 313: Urban area; 9084: Use; 292: Vehicle mile
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00606752
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 31 1991 12:00AM