WHAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT SHOULD KNOW ABOUT POSSIBLE USER REACTIONS, AS SHOWN BY THE EXAMPLE OF PRICE SENSITIVITY

This paper shows that the decrease in demand for urban public transportation if fares are increased can only be predicted accurately by studying the users of public transportation and the possible ways they might react to fare increases. In order to do this, the paper categorizes the users of public transportation according to factors that influence their demand for public transportation. Those persons who have alternative modes of transportation available to them are identified and divided into groups that are sensitive or not sensitive to price increases. These different factors make it possible to estimate the descrease in demand for public transportation if fares are increased. Furthermore, the paper stresses the imporance of two groups of persons who do not directly cause a decrease in demand for public transportation. The first group are those persons who have no alternative to the use of public transportation but would be severely hurt economically by fare increases. The second group are those persons who would complain about price increases but would continue to use public transportation. The former group gives useful information on the public's ability to pay, and the latter group indicates the probable public reaction to a fare increase. (Author)

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1980/746/746-006.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=WHAT+PUBLIC+TRANSPORTATION+MANAGEMENT+SHOULD+KNOW+ABOUT+POSSIBLE+USER+REACTIONS%2C+AS+SHOWN+BY+THE+EXAMPLE+OF+PRICE+SENSITIVITY&author=W.+Brog&author=O.+Forg&publication_year=1980
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309030552
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Transit Service Characteristics. 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.
• Authors:
  • Brog, Werner
  • Forg, Otto G
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 30-35
• Monograph Title: Bus Transit Management and Performance
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 746
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Consumer behavior; Elasticity (Mechanics); Fares; Forecasting; Low income groups; Public transit; Ridership; Sensitivity
• Uncontrolled Terms: Disadvantaged persons; Increase
• Old TRIS Terms: User reactions
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319337
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309030552
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 27 1981 12:00AM