Organizing transit in small urban and rural communities
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2012
Subject Area
place - rural, place - north america, place - low density
Keywords
rural transit, North Dakota, rederal policy, service design, operation
Abstract
The justification of government support of rural transit on the basis of the presence of increasing returns to scale and the most efficient regional organization of transit is investigated. Returns to density, size, and scope at most levels of output were found. Cost subadditivity, where a monopoly firm can provide service at a lower cost than two firms, was found for many, but not all observations. The presence of natural monopoly in rural transit in a strict sense is rejected. The findings and implications are directly applicable to rural transit in North Dakota and should be helpful in informing future federal policy as well as rural transit policy, service design, and operation in other states.
Rights
Permission to publish the report has been given by Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, copyright remains with them.
Recommended Citation
Ripplinger, D.G. (2012). Organizing transit in small urban and rural communities. Report, Upper Great Plains Transpotation Institute, North Dakota State University, (July 2012), 62 pp.
