Knowledge of the cost and production structure of transit systems can be in
strumental in uncovering an array of important information regarding their
operation. Optimal fleet size and pricing, average and marginal cost, and t
he potential for success of deregulation and privatization efforts can be a
ddressed successfully when the cost structure of transit systems is known.
Research on the cost structure of mass transit systems using panel data fre
quently shows conflicting results with respect to issues such as economies
of scale and density, and factor substitution elasticities. In this analysi
s we extend prior research in two significant directions. First, we control
for cross-sectional heterogeneity that may otherwise seriously bias the re
sulting parameter estimates. Second, we make an explicit effort to capture
differences in the economies of scale between large, medium, and small tran
sit systems, Based on panel data for fixed-route public transit systems, th
e results indicate that transit services an characterized by a nonhomotheti
c production function, exhibiting returns to density and scale that depend
on the size of the transit firm.