Project Summary
California’s largest metropolitan areas, particularly Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, are served by dozens of public transit agencies. This fragmented system raises important questions about the efficiency, equity, and overall effectiveness of service delivery. Would riders benefit more from a few large, consolidated agencies? Could coordination improve outcomes in fare policies, service planning, and labor relations? Or do smaller agencies offer unique advantages? These questions have long challenged public officials, especially in the Bay Area, where coordination studies date back to the 1980s.
This research will explore the trade-offs between many small versus fewer large transit agencies in major metropolitan areas. It will draw on case studies and planning debates from across the U.S. and internationally, including highly integrated systems like Tokyo’s. The project will examine academic literature on economies of scale and scope, and evaluate past efforts to improve coordination in areas such as service delivery, fare integration, and public communication.
