Subsidy and public transit performance: A factor analytic approach

The need to measure and evaluate transit system performance has led to the development of numerous performance indicators. However, depending upon the indicator, we oftentimes reach different conclusions regarding transit system performance. The research reported in this paper uses factor analytic methods to generate a set of underlying attributes (factors) that capture the performance of public transit systems in Indiana. Similar to what is reported in the literature, this study finds three attributes that best describe transit system performance: efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance. Based upon systemsÕ factor scores, the study finds that systems scoring highly on one attribute generally perform well on the remaining attributes. Further, there is an inverse relationship between system performance and subsidies, a finding that supports performance based subsidy allocations.     

The effects of federal transit subsidy policy on investment decisions: The case of San Francisco's Geary Corridor

In the United States, federal funding for public transit often accounts for a large proportion of a local agency's budget, especially for capital investments. For this reason, local governments can be expected to plan a portfolio of projects that maximize federal contributions. This study examines the financial effects of federal transit subsidy policy on local transit investment decisions. Data from a System Planning Study for the Geary Corridor in San Francisco are used as an illustration. It is found that federal transit subsidy policy provides financial incentives for local decision-makers to select capital-intensive investment options that may not be efficient or effective. While federal financial incentives are not the only factor influencing local investment decisions, some reform of the current subsidy policy may be necessary to reduce the incentive for ineffective use of public resources.     

Optimal bus fleet management strategy for emissions reduction

Transportation is a major cause for environmental degradation via exhaust emissions. For many transit-oriented metropolitan areas, bus trips often constitute a sizeable mode share. Managing the bus fleet, in particular updating buses to comply with the newer emissions standards, therefore, can have a substantial impact on transportation-induced air quality. This paper presents the approach of remaining life additional benefit–cost (RLABC) analysis for maximising the total net benefit by either early-retiring or retrofitting the current bus fleet within their lifespans. By referring to the net benefits for different bus types estimated by RLABC analysis, the most beneficial management scheme for the current bus fleet can be identified. Optimal bus fleet management (BFM) models based on the RLABC analysis for the operator and the government are developed. Then a government subsidy plan is produced to achieve win–win solutions, which will offer efficient and flexible management schemes. To illustrate the approach, the largest bus company in Hong Kong, which carries more than 23% of the total trips in Hong Kong, is taken as a case study example. Instead of adopting a fixed retirement plan, such as replacing buses at the age of 17 as is currently practised, the proposed method develops an optimal BFM scheme that progressively phases out buses or retrofits them. This study produces promising results to demonstrate the large benefit of this approach for optimal bus fleet management.     

跨区域整合公交系统建模与分析

随着区域经济一体化的发展,区域间公交系统的合作与整合得到了越来越广泛的关注.本文提出了一个双层规划模型来描述我国的一类跨区域整合公交系统.在上层问题中,相邻区域的地方公交管理者们共同规划和管理跨区域公交线路,以实现跨区域线路上社会福利的最大化.在下层问题中,这些区域的公交运营者们相互开放区域市场并联合运营跨区域公交线路,他们相互竞争以实现各自利润的最大化.为了获得更加准确的分析结果,所提出的模型详细地考虑了乘客的站点拥挤成本和车内拥挤成本.数值结果表明,公交管理者们可以通过补贴影响运营者的竞争行为,进而改善跨区公交系统各方参与者的利益.     

城乡客运一体化公交线路补贴规模测算模型

科学合理的测算城乡公交线路补贴规模是实现城乡客运一体化的前提基础,在分析城乡客运补贴现状差异及存在问题的基础上,提出了建立一体化补贴机制的思路,并构建了基于经营线路的补贴规模测算模型,最后以成都市8路公交线路为例,对补贴规模测算模型进行了实例分析.     

A tool to aid redesign of flexible transport services to increase efficiency in rural transport service provision

Rural areas generally have lower and more dispersed demands for travel which cannot sustain conventional public transport services and consequently have a greater number of flexible and demand responsive transport services operating. These services usually operate on a stand-alone basis, are often subsidized and are typically only accessible by certain passenger types or for specific trip purposes. This generally results in uncoordinated and inefficient transport provision overall. The Flexible integrated transport services (FITS) system featured in this paper has been designed to address this problem. FITS can be used as a planning tool to assess potential benefits from relaxing operating constraints (e.g., a service's operating boundaries), which can potentially suggest service redesign. It also includes the capacity to assign subsidy payments on a trip by trip basis to increase cost efficiency whilst meeting a greater proportion of transport needs. The case study in the paper focusses on transport to health in the Aberdeenshire and Morayshire areas of Scotland in the UK. Despite flexible transport operators receiving public funds to meet passenger needs, this is currently being supplemented by public bodies paying large amounts in taxi fares in instances where there is a statutory obligation to provide travel but where no other suitable transport service exists. The results demonstrate the potential substantial savings which could be realized by allowing transport operators to redesign their services by relaxing constraints and by the reassignment of subsidies: resulting in more passenger demands being met and a reduction in public spending on taxi fares.     

深圳轨道交通投融资模式回顾及再创新探索

深圳轨道交通已进入高质量发展时期,政府的财政压力加大,需要再次创新投融资模式.深圳轨道交通前四期经历了一元、多元化的投融资创新,五期将实施轨道与土地一体化发展的思路,而上盖物业开发是轨道交通投融资再创新的基石.基于深圳利用先行先试、引领示范政策的大好机遇,提出两种创新的投融资模式:"轨道交通PPP项目+上盖物业规划+浮动现金补贴"模式创新点为轨道项目公司基于TOD理念做好上盖物业规划,政府按规划方案招拍挂,全额收取地价,按照协议所定浮动比例补偿项目公司,项目公司通过上盖物业规划最大化获得浮动现金补贴;"轨道交通PPP项目与上盖物业开发捆绑招标"模式创新点为轨道交通PPP与上盖物业作为同一项目捆绑招标,地价款可以抵扣轨道建设成本,减少土地收入中央及地方计提等费用,实现轨道建设成本和地价的最优组合,项目公司通过上盖物业开发获得增值收益反哺轨道建设运营,物业开发又为轨道交通吸引了恒常客流,政府和企业实现双赢.     

Competition model of cruise home ports based on the cruise supply chain – based on China cruise market

This paper addresses issues of cruise home port competition based on the cruise supply chain. A pricing model of the cruise market is developed considering the competitive cooperation behaviors of the participants in the cruise supply chain. Furthermore, a model of cruise home port competition is developed to investigate the impacts of subsidy participants in the cruise supply chain on cruise home ports. The results indicate that subsidy policies change the market equilibrium, promote the upstream and downstream integration of cruise supply chain, and enhance cruise home port competitiveness. Subsidies to cruise line increase the payoffs of cruise supply chain and ports’ profit. Subsidies to travel agency decrease passenger costs and improve all ports’ profits. For the long-term development of cruise home port, the consequents can be used as policy suggestions.     

考虑老年人出行行为的公交票价补贴政策研究

北京市现行的老年人公交免费政策在保障老年人日常出行的同时,诱发了老年人无谓出行、高峰出行、冒乘出行等问题. 针对不同出行目的、出行距离及出发时刻下老年人出行行为偏好,基于北京市第五次综合交通调查数据,构建多场景下老年人出行方式选择MNL (Multinominal Logit)模型,分析错峰优惠、阶梯式津贴等补贴政策对多方式分担率的影响,并从公共交通运能利用率、政府补贴和老年人公交支出等方面评价政策效果. 结果表明：相对现行政策,两种政策均可有效调节老年人出行行为,前者能够缓解政府财政补贴压力,但造成老年人公交支出的上升;后者侧重保护老年人群的社会福利,对行为的引导效果更显著,但仍需大量的财政补贴投入.