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Measuring efficiency in the public sector using nonparametric frontier estimators: a study of transit agencies in the USA

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  • J. F. Nolan
  • P. C. Ritchie
  • J. R. Rowcroft

Abstract

Transit agencies in the USA must provide service under increasing operating constraints. Using data from 1989-1993, technical efficiency among these firms is estimated and characteristics indicative of differential efficiency in transit agencies are identified. This paper verifies the robustness of the second step regression results to the choice of efficiency measure by comparing results of the two step regressions using a pair of non-parametric efficiency estimators. It is discovered that the structure of government subsidy to this industry negatively affects not just cost efficiency, but technical efficiency as well. Furthermore, maintenance appears to be an important component of operational efficiency in this industry.

Suggested Citation

  • J. F. Nolan & P. C. Ritchie & J. R. Rowcroft, 2001. "Measuring efficiency in the public sector using nonparametric frontier estimators: a study of transit agencies in the USA," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(7), pages 913-922.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:33:y:2001:i:7:p:913-922
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840122663
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fried, Harold O. & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Shelton S. (ed.), 1993. "The Measurement of Productive Efficiency: Techniques and Applications," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195072181.
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    1. Cinzia Daraio & Marco Diana & Flavia Di Costa & Claudio Leporelli & Giorgio Matteucci & Alberto Nastasi, 2014. "Efficiency and effectiveness in the urban public transport sector: a critical review with directions for future research," DIAG Technical Reports 2014-14, Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza".
    2. Yang Pan & LiangFei Qiu, 2018. "Is Uber Helping or Hurting Mass Transit? An Empirical Investigation," Working Papers 18-11, NET Institute.
    3. Lambert, Thomas & Srinivasan, Arun & Dufrene, Uric & Min, Hokey, 2010. "Urban Location and the Success of Casinos in Five States: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach," MPRA Paper 69740, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Tamaki, Tetsuya & Nakamura, Hiroki & Fujii, Hidemichi & Managi, Shunsuke, 2019. "Efficiency and emissions from urban transport: Application to world city-level public transportation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 55-63.
    5. Juan Gómez-García & María del Rocio Moreno Enguix & Juan Cándido Gómez-Gallego, 2011. "Estimation Of The Efficiency Of Structural Funds: A Parametric And Non-Parametric Approach," Post-Print hal-00712385, HAL.
    6. Tolga Ülkü & Vahidin Jeleskovic & Jürgen Müller, 2014. "How scale and institutional setting explain the costs of small airports? -An application of spatial regression analysis," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201435, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    7. Daraio, Cinzia & Diana, Marco & Di Costa, Flavia & Leporelli, Claudio & Matteucci, Giorgio & Nastasi, Alberto, 2016. "Efficiency and effectiveness in the urban public transport sector: A critical review with directions for future research," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 248(1), pages 1-20.
    8. Thomas E. Lambert & Arun Kumar Srinivasan & Uric B. Dufrene & Hokey Min, 2010. "Urban Location And The Success Of Casinos In Five States," International Journal of Management and Marketing Research, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 3(3), pages 1-16.
    9. Zehmed KARIM & Jawab FOUAD, 2019. "An Analysis Of Technical Efficiency Of Public Bus Transport Companies In Moroccan Cities," Management Research and Practice, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 11(1), pages 56-73, March.
    10. Min, Hokey & Lambert, Thomas, 2013. "An Exploratory Evaluation of State Road Provision to Commuters and Shippers using Data Envelopment Analysis and Tobit Regression," MPRA Paper 47196, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Zuzana Kučerová, 2012. "Measuring of Efficiency in the Public and Private Sector - Current Research Approaches [Měření efektivity ve veřejném a soukromém sektoru - rešerše dosavadních přístupů]," Český finanční a účetní časopis, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2012(2), pages 110-125.
    12. Yang Pan & Liangfei Qiu, 2022. "How Ride‐Sharing Is Shaping Public Transit System: A Counterfactual Estimator Approach," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(3), pages 906-927, March.
    13. Yu, Ming-Miin & Chen, Li-Hsueh & Hsiao, Bo, 2016. "Dynamic performance assessment of bus transit with the multi-activity network structure," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 15-25.

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