Research Reports
Report Details

Title:	Organizing Transit in Small Urban and Rural Communities
Authors:	David Ripplinger
Publication Date:	Jul 2012
Report #:	DP-251
TRID #:	01421289
Keywords:	costs, government funding, monopoly, regional transportation, rural transit, small cities
Type:	Research Report – Department Publications

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.

How to Cite

Ripplinger, David. Organizing Transit in Small Urban and Rural Communities, DP-251. North Dakota State University, Fargo: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, 2012.