00453104

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...trr/1985/1013/1013-003.pdf

https://scholar.google.co...riou&publication_year=1985

Before the first year's Section 15 data were released hopes were high among academics, researchers, and policy makers. It was believed that this wealth of new, detailed, consistent, and accurate information would help answer conclusively questions about transit productivity and performance and about whether subsidies contribute to better performance or are simply wasted in inefficiencies and wage increases. In addition, the data base was eagerly awaited as a tool that would assist in making "peer" comparisons among transit systems, determine the reasons for performance variations, and possibly help in shaping future federal and state subsidy allocation formulas. After 4 consecutive years of data collection, however, Section 15 proved to be far from what was originally envisioned. Although the quality of data has been improving, for all practical purposes, a uniform reporting system that includes all transit properties receiving federal assistance does not yet exist because of numerous problems that may be classified broadly into four categories: (a) access and structural problems, (b) erroneous and missing data, (c) inconsistencies and definitional ambiguities, and (d) exclusion of important data elements. The problems that were encountered in these areas when using the first 4 years' Section 15 data are presented. Suggestions are also made about how users may solve some of these problems and how future editions of Section 15 data may be improved.

Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

01419896

pp 20-27

1985

Transportation Research Record

0309039029

Print

Figures (1) ; References (8) ; Tables (9)

Data collection; Economics; Performance; Productivity; Public transit; Statistics; Subsidies; Transit operating agencies

Urban Mass Transportation Act

Performance indicators

Administration and Management; Data and Information Technology; Economics; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation

TRIS, TRB

Aug 27 2004 9:59PM

• ANALYSIS OF BUS TRANSIT'S OPERATING LABOR EFFICIENCY USING SECTION 15 DATA
• GETTING CONTROL OVER OPERATING BUDGETS: METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING PRODUCTIVITY ALTERNATIVES
• IMPROVING SECTION 15 PASSENGER DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES
• PART-TIME PUBLIC TRANSIT OPERATORS: EXPERIENCES AND PROSPECT
• RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE UMTA SECTION 15 REPORTING SYSTEM
• REVIEW OF THE USE OF PART-TIME TRANSIT OPERATORS AND METHODS FOR ASSIGNING PART-TIME WORK
• SOLON: INTERACTIVE METHOD FOR EVALUATING AND IMPROVING TRANSIT ROUTE PERFORMANCE
• SYSTEM AND ROUTE OPTIMIZATION MODEL FOR MINIMIZING URBAN TRANSIT OPERATING DEFICITS
• TRANSIT OPERATOR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: STUDY GROUP REVIEW AT MUNI