17 research outputs found
The Effects of Fixed-Route Transit Service Contracting on Labor
After a half-century of increasing public ownership and rising costs, public transit agencies in the U.S. began to experiment with competitive contracting of their operations during the 1980s. Previous research tells us much about possible cost savings from contracting, but we know relatively little about how it has affected transit workers. This study examined impacts of contracting out fixed-route bus services on labor by investigating the compensation packages of drivers.The study covers 12 operators of three types, from 1995 to 2001: private contractors, public operators with no contracting, and public operators who contracted out for some or all of their service. Driver compensation at each bus operator was analyzed in four components using equivalent pay hours: platform hours, hours spent due to work rules defined in labor contracts, paid absences, and fringe benefits. By comparing pay hours to platform hours, labor utilization of each operator was examined.Drivers for five private bus contractors were paid about 11 per hour (in 2001 dollars), which is 8 less than drivers at seven public agencies. Privately hired drivers are likely to receive fewer benefits, valued at only 25% of their yearly compensation, compared to 35% for public drivers. Paid absences showed especially notable differences. Privately hired drivers received the dollar equivalent of 15 days off annually versus 52 days off for their public counterparts.Private operators showed higher levels of spending on overtime, because their drivers were each likely to work 100 to 200 hours more per year than their public counterparts in order to achieve marginal wage improvements. Also the higher rate of driver turnover and poor safety records at private operators caused more spending on various forms of insurance (e.g. unemployment, worker’s compensation insurance, and liability). Driver training also costs private contractors more than public ones. Overall, private contractors paid 52% less in driver compensation, while their hourly operating costs were 43% less. In sum, it appears that cost savings from contracting achieved at the expense of labor, but not necessarily with an increase in genuine productivity
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Transportation Technologies: Implications for Planning
Transportation is rapidly being changed by new technologies, such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (including smart cards, on-board diagnostics and information systems, and smarter highways, transit, automobiles, logistics systems, and other information systems). The range of options and their impacts will continue to expand as new technologies are introduced over the next two decades, and may alter transportation systems in many ways. For example, electric, hydrogen, or hybrid electric-petroleum vehicles may be introduced that would substantially alter emissions and fuel characteristics of the fleet, and potentially pose challenges in terms of system operations and finance. Smart card technologies could greatly improve the feasibility and convenience of a variety of pricing options for road use, parking, and transit fares. Monitoring and information systems could enable travelers to time trips and select routes to avoid congestion, reducing it in the process. Advanced traffic management systems could increase road capacity significantly while improving safety and respecting other objectives such as pedestrian comfort. Over the longer run, automation could make order of magnitude improvements in safety, capacity, and convenience
Recommended from our members
Transportation Technologies: Implications for Planning
Transportation is rapidly being changed by new technologies, such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (including smart cards, on-board diagnostics and information systems, and smarter highways, transit, automobiles, logistics systems, and other information systems). the range of options and their impacts will continue to expand as new technologies are introduced over the next two decades, and may alter transportation systems in many ways. For example, electric, hydrogen, or hybrid electric-petroleum vehicles may be introduced that would substantially alter emissions and fuel characteristics of the fleet, and potentially pose challenges in terms of system operations and finance. Smart card technologies could greatly improve the feasibility and convenience of a variety of pricing options for road use, parking, and transit fares. Monitoring and information systems could enable travelers to time trips and select routes to avoid congestion, reducing it in the process. Advanced traffic management systems could increase road capacity significantly while improving safety and respecting other objectives such as pedestrian comfort. Over the longer run, automation could make order of magnitude improvements in safety, capacity, and convenience. Whether and to what extent these technologies become a significant element of the transportation systems will depend, however, not only on technological developments but on both public and private decisions about the technologies' desirability and usefulness. System-wide applications and high market penetrations of new technologies are likely to have vastly different benefits and costs than the piecemeal applications that are currently proceeding.
Recommended from our members
Transportation Technologies: Implications for Planning
Transportation is rapidly being changed by new technologies, such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (including smart cards, on-board diagnostics and information systems, and smarter highways, transit, automobiles, logistics systems, and other information systems). the range of options and their impacts will continue to expand as new technologies are introduced over the next two decades, and may alter transportation systems in many ways. For example, electric, hydrogen, or hybrid electric-petroleum vehicles may be introduced that would substantially alter emissions and fuel characteristics of the fleet, and potentially pose challenges in terms of system operations and finance. Smart card technologies could greatly improve the feasibility and convenience of a variety of pricing options for road use, parking, and transit fares. Monitoring and information systems could enable travelers to time trips and select routes to avoid congestion, reducing it in the process. Advanced traffic management systems could increase road capacity significantly while improving safety and respecting other objectives such as pedestrian comfort. Over the longer run, automation could make order of magnitude improvements in safety, capacity, and convenience. Whether and to what extent these technologies become a significant element of the transportation systems will depend, however, not only on technological developments but on both public and private decisions about the technologies' desirability and usefulness. System-wide applications and high market penetrations of new technologies are likely to have vastly different benefits and costs than the piecemeal applications that are currently proceeding.
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California's Freight Patterns
This paper presents key statistics and trends in freight transportation in the United States and California. While California is obviously a large and integral part of the national economy, there are many important differences in shipment patterns between the state and the nation as a whole. These differences are primarily a result of California's role as an economic and social trendsetter for the counry as well as its role as a "gateway" to the emerging Pacific Rim economy.
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California’s Freight Patterns
This paper presents key statistics and trends in freight transportation in the United States and California. While California is obviously a large and integral part of the national economy, there are many important differences in shipment patterns between the state and the nation as a whole. These differences are primarily a result of California’s role as an economic and social trendsetter for the country as well as its role as a “gateway” to the emerging Pacific Rim economy