FACTORS OF SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE-SECTOR REVERSE COMMUTE SERVICES

The suburbanization of employment in metropolitan areas has opened up new markets for private-sector reverse commute services. FTA initiated the Entrepreneurial Services Challenge Grant Program (ESP) to promote such services, yet the factors leading to successful services have not been identified. The objective of the research is to identify and examine the market, service provision, financial, managerial, and organizational factors that characterize successful services. A literature review and three case studies of successful private-sector reverse commute services in large metropolitan areas were conducted. The characteristics of successful private-sector reverse commute services are (a) a lean management structure with dynamic entrepreneurship and communication; (b) strategies emphasizing financial flexibility and marketing (market research to identify promising market niches and promotion that emphasizes cost savings to employers); (c) establishment of contracts with employers for subsidized transportation and matching of jobs with labor; (d) close relationships with employment, training, and recruitment organizations; (e) comprehensive screening of commute service employees; and (f) monitoring of performance. As a means to promote such services, FTA should implement a training and long-term technical assistance component to complement the financial assistance of ESP.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1993/1402/1402-001.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=FACTORS+OF+SUCCESSFUL+PRIVATE-SECTOR+REVERSE+COMMUTE+SERVICES&author=Z.+Farkas&publication_year=1993
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1402, Public Transit: Current Research in Planning, Marketing, Operations, and Technology. 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:
  • Farkas, Z Andrew
• Publication Date: 1993

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 3-8
• Monograph Title: Public transit: current research in planning, marketing, operations, and technology
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1402
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Administration; Case studies; Financial analysis; Guides to the literature; Level of service; Literature reviews; Management; Market assessment; Metropolitan areas; Private enterprise; Reverse commuting
• Uncontrolled Terms: Services
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00641357
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 5 1994 12:00AM