OPERATIONAL ISSUES FOR PARATRANSIT: OPERATOR'S PERSPECTIVE

This review of the activity of a taxicab operator in the paratransit field, discusses labor, vehicle selection and maintenance, control and dispatching issues. Comments are made on the overall management structure, marketing and promotion, and paratransit services. Vehicle productivity and cost of operations are also discussed. The ability to recruit and maintain a sufficient force of taxicab drivers is the key to the success of a taxicab operation. Experimentation with vehicles not normally used in service (van configurations and diesel-powered standard stock cars) has been underway, but no ideal vehicle to meet paratransit needs has been developed. Dispatching practices and vehicle control are integrally related in taxi industry. In the specific operation described here, a system of geographical separation of channels in mobile 2-way radio communication was used to obtain maximum productivity. Several computerized and automated radio communication systems are available. The lack of middle management positions is seen as a serious problem, and the need is indicated for the expansion of marketing and promotion efforts. Vehicle productivity is noted to improve upon diversification of operations into other modes of transportation. A new format on industry expenses which will generate economic and statistical information hitherto unobtainable, is outlined. In this new format, fuel costs, insurance, vehicles, parts and service are adjusted upward on a weekly basis.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr164/164-020.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paratransit: Proceedings of a conference held November 9-12, 1975, conducted by the Transportation Research Board, and sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Glassman, Marvin A
• Conference:
  • Conference on Paratransit
  • Location: Williamsburg Virginia, United States
  • Date: 1975-11-9 to 1975-11-12
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: pp 166-173
• Monograph Title: PARATRANSIT
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 164
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communication; Control; Dispatching; Information processing; Management; Marketing; Operating costs; Operators (Persons); Paratransit services; Personnel; Productivity; Taxicabs; Vehicle maintenance; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Operator; Selecting
• Old TRIS Terms: Two way communication
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00138457
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 4 1981 12:00AM