Productivity, Cost Structure, and Pricing in Urban Bus Transport

Book excerpt: Cities play a vital role in economic growth and prosperity. Sustainable development of cities largely depends upon their physical, social and institutional infrastructure. In this context, the importance of transportation system is paramount. Urban transportation is probably the single most important component instrumental in shaping urban development and urban living. While urban areas may be viewed asengines of growth, urban transport is, figuratively and literally, the wheel of that engine. As cities expand to the point where walking can no longer satisfy the mobility requirements of the people, public transport becomes the major mode of transportation. Until recently the main function of public transport was to satisfy the individual needs of the less affluent members of the society. Now, it is requiredto attract all segments of the society to provide congestion relief and environmental preservation. Productivity improvement and efficiency in the public transport system must be concerned not only with keeping costs down, but also with providing a flexible framework within which all income groups can use public transport with confidence and convenience.