Operational Cost Efficiency of Bus versus Heavy Rail: A Temporal and Regional Analysis

摘要

This research examines the cost-efficiencies of heavy rail and bus systems with regard to their per-vehicle and perpassenger-mile operating costs. By looking at how these costs differ between the modes and how they changedduring the 1997-2006 period, both nationally and by region of the country, we seek to determine which mode ismore economical on an operational basis. Overall, the study found that rail systems cost more to operate than bussystems on a per-vehicle basis, but cost less than bus systems when considering cost per-passenger-mile, a resultexplained by the higher carrying capacity of railcars as opposed to buses. Furthermore, using theoretical occupancylevels, a threshold occupancy was calculated for rail, beyond which it becomes the more cost-efficient of the twomodes.