THE COSTING OF BUS, LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT AND METRO PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

Abstract

The study develops costing models for the three systems from comparable primary source data to define the economic costs of the capital operations, maintenance and administration on a common basis. The models are applied to a public transport undertaking, which operates all three modes, comparing the total social cost of each mode and identifying the least economic mode at different demand levels in different situations. The 1978 annual accounts, used as the data source, require careful interpretation. Labour is the dominant cost input representing 58 per cent of all costs. Applying the model to an 8 km radial corridor, with realistic supply and demand characteristics, it was found that the bus had the lowest operating cost up to a demand level of 37500. The LRT was always the least cost in the range 100000 to 175000 and the metro was the only mode with a carrying capacity above this level. When user costs, the valuation of passengers' travel time, are taken into account, the bus is always the least-cost mode up to 50000 reflecting the advantage of low walking and waiting times. (TRRL)

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