Public transit bus procurement: The role of energy prices, regulation and federal subsidies

Shanjun Li, Matthew Kahn and Jerry Nickelsburg

Journal of Urban Economics, 2015, vol. 87, issue C, 57-71

Abstract: The U.S. public transit system represents a multi-billion dollar industry that provides essential transit services to millions of urban residents. We study the market for new transit buses that features a set of non-profit transit agencies purchasing buses primarily from a few domestic bus makers. In contrast with private passenger vehicles, the fuel economy of public buses has not improved during the last thirty years and is irresponsive to fuel price changes. To understand these findings, we build a model of bus fleet management decisions of public transit agencies that yields testable hypotheses. Our empirical analysis of bus fleet turnover and capital investment highlights the role of energy prices, environmental regulations, and the “Buy America” mandate associated with receiving federal funding to purchase public transit buses.

Keywords: Transit buses; Fuel economy; Buy America; Revealed preference (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D7 H3 Q4 R4 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Working Paper: Public Transit Bus Procurement: The Role of Energy Prices, Regulation and Federal Subsidies (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:juecon:v:87:y:2015:i:c:p:57-71

DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2015.01.004

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