Cooperative Effort among Small Light Rail Properties to Control Costs of Maintenance and Overhauls

This paper describes how the Light Rail Vehicle Maintenance User Group was formed to take advantage of purchasing power and collective maintenance experience of its individual members. Prior to the group’s formation, smaller transit properties did not enjoy the economies of scale or the sense of urgency from material or service providers as did many larger transit properties. Technical matters requiring vendor support often took longer than expected and usually cost more than planned to resolve them satisfactorily. Smaller properties simply didn’t command the economic clout needed to encourage full engagement or demand lower material costs from their vendors. Recognizing the potential for cooperation, a handful of small transit properties started meeting twice a year in 2002. Vehicle maintenance management and key purchasing agents from each of the properties worked together to identify common areas of interest and formed cooperative initiatives to take advantage of the influence and purchasing power of the collective body.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7p
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper and full conference proceedings are available on CD-ROM but the paper was not presented at the conference.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Campbell, Mitchell
  • Frohnsdorf, Klaus
  • Mack, Lloyd
  • Price, Jim
• Conference:
  • Rail Transit Conference, 2005
  • Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
  • Date: 2005-6-5 to 2005-6-8
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 6p
• Monograph Title: Rail Transit Conference Proceedings, 2005

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cooperatives; Cost control; Costs; Light rail transit; Light rail vehicles; Maintenance; Materials; Purchasing; Rehabilitation
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01002143
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594155
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 18 2005 10:50AM