Benchmarking and Evaluating the Efficiency of Mass Transit Systems Based on Best Practice Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Abstract

Public transit systems in the USA have been faced with mounting pressure to decrease their operating costs while at the same time expected to increase ridership and meeting multiple societal needs. The primary objective of this study is to measure the efficiencies of mass transit agencies based on best practice in the US, identify the influencing factors leading to their efficiencies, and how these strategies and policies can be used improve inefficiency in transit agencies. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, the study analyzed the mass performance of 334 transit agencies across the US using data from the national transit database (NTD) for the five years (2012 to 2016). The results show that public transit agencies operating ridesharing programs such as vanpools and on demand-services are more efficient compared to other agencies, as they are able to better at utilizing their inputs and therefore having a higher overall efficiency.