VARIABLES AFFECTING BUS TRANSIT PRODUCTIVITY

This paper uses data of seventy-seven bus transit systems to develop an econometric cost model which is used to determine the productivities of labor, capital, fuel, total productivity and economies of scale. Statistical associations are then developed between these performance variations across transit systems. The results of the analysis show short run economies in transit operations, high labor productivity, and low fuel and capital productivity. The analysis also shows that the selected variables have different effects on the productivities of the various inputs. This suggests further analysis to determine possible tradeoffs between productivity losses of one input and productivity gains of other inputs. The outcome of the tradeoff analysis can be obtained from the signs of the coefficients in the regression equation showing a relationship between total productivity and the fourteen variables. The tradeoff analysis reveals that except for federal section 5 subsidies, local state and federal section 3 subsidies improve total productivity. These improvements can be traced to labor and fuel productivity in the case of local and federal section 3 subsidies. Thus, improvements in the productivities of fuel and labor are important in increasing transit total productivity.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the 26th Annual Meeting, Theme: Markets and Management in an Era of Deregulation, held November 13-15, 1985, Amelia Island Plantation, Jacksonville, Florida.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Forum

  1133 15th Street, NW, Suite 620
  Washington, DC  United States  20005

  Cross (Richard B) Company

  Oxford, Indiana,   United States  47971
• Authors:
  • Obeng, K
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 302-314
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Forum Proceedings
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Cross (Richard B) Company

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Bus transit; Financial capital; Fuel consumption; Labor costs; Operating costs; Peer groups; Performance; Productivity; Regression analysis; Transit operating agencies
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Uncontrolled Terms: Performance indicators
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus services; Labor intensive; Umta section 3; Umta section 5
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Data and Information Technology; Economics; Energy; Highways; Public Transportation; Society; Vehicles and Equipment; I10: Economics and Administration; I96: Vehicle Operating Costs;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00455115
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1988 12:00AM