00453106

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http://onlinepubs.trb.org...trr/1985/1013/1013-005.pdf

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

Most U.S. transit agencies have begun to use part-time operators as a way to reduce operating cost. In this paper, based on five case studies, the cost savings and organizational impacts associated with this change are evaluated. Results indicate that cost savings have been small but significant in situations in which peak service expansion occurred. Where the schedule was static, contract protections for existing operators made it difficult to use part-time labor and hence savings were small or insignificant. It was found that in transit agencies with highly peaked schedules, part-time operators (PTOs) save money for two reasons: they improve schedule efficiency (the ratio of hours-paid to hours-worked) and their wages and fringe benefits are lower than those of full-time operators. In agencies with relatively flat schedules the only savings is from lower wages and fringe benefits, and it is possible that this kind of "two-tier" wage system may be bargained away over time. It was found that, for agencies with flat or static schedules, it may be more effective to concentrate on alternative strategies such as absenteeism control and extraboard staffing, which may be more beneficial and easier to implement. On the organizational side, no unusual costs associated with use of PTOs were identified. PTOs have proven to be as reliable as, or even more so than, full-time operators; they have not created unusual supervisory costs; and there have been relatively few problems between part-time and full-time operators. Instead of creating a permanent force of PTOs, as had been anticipated, most of the PTOs who were hired really wanted full-time work.

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01419896

pp 32-38

1985

Transportation Research Record

0309039029

Print

References (5) ; Tables (8)

Administration; Bus drivers; Case studies; Operating costs; Part time employees; Public transit; Reduction (Chemistry); Transit operators

Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration

TRIS, TRB

May 31 1986 12:00AM

• ANALYSIS OF BUS TRANSIT'S OPERATING LABOR EFFICIENCY USING SECTION 15 DATA
• GETTING CONTROL OVER OPERATING BUDGETS: METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING PRODUCTIVITY ALTERNATIVES
• GUIDED TOUR THROUGH THE SECTION 15 MAZE
• IMPROVING SECTION 15 PASSENGER DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES
• 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