TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY MEASUREMENT AND EXPLANATION OF FRENCH URBAN TRANSIT COMPANIES

Authors

K Kerstens

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1996

Subject Area

place - urban, mode - mass transit

Keywords

Urban transit, Transit services, Transit, Public transit, Output, Mass transit, Local transit, France, Efficiency, Economic efficiency

Abstract

The performance of a sample of French urban transit companies is evaluated using a broad selection of nonparametric reference technologies for two specifications of the production process. In particular, the variable returns to scale Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models with either strong or weak disposability in both inputs and outputs, and the Free Disposal Hull (FDH) are applied. An extensive comparison of the resulting radial output efficiency measures yields the following major methodological conclusions. First, the location of the efficiency distributions differs substantially depending on the methodology and especially on the output specification considered. Second, convexity has a stronger influence on the efficient-inefficient dichotomy than allowing for congestion by means of a weakly disposable DEA model.

Comments

Transportation Research Part A Home Page: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564

Recommended Citation

Kerstens, K, (1996). TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY MEASUREMENT AND EXPLANATION OF FRENCH URBAN TRANSIT COMPANIES. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Volume 30, Issue 6, p. 431-452.