The Europeanisation of public services is frequently considered to have created pressure for Member States to progressively converge towards a new dominant organisational model, based on deregulation, de-integration and privatization. However, while in some sectors (eg. electricity,...

The core of the present study is to analyse the cost efficiency of public transit systems in Italy, investigating the way subsidization mechanisms and network characteristics affect the x-inefficiency levels of firms. The analysis uses a seven-year (1993-1999) unbalanced panel of 45 Italian...

This paper investigates how the ownership and the procedure for the selection of firms operating in the local public transport sector affect their productivity. In order to compare different institutional regimes, we carry out a comparative analysis of 72 companies operating in large European...

This paper refers to the concept of public governance in the light of Transaction Cost Economics (TCE). While TCE is well developed and widely applied in the private sector, only a few studies have adopted such framework to investigate the provision of public services. We aim at pointing out the...

The present phase of liberalization of local public transport in European countries and in Italy marks the end of a cycle which began at the turn between XIX and XX centuries. After a summary of its developments in European countries and in the United States, we look carefully at its...

This paper investigates how the ownership and the procedure for the selection of firms operating in the local public transport sector affect their productivity. In order to compare different institutional regimes, we carry out a comparative analysis of 72 companies operating in large European...

An indicator measuring inequality in the provision of local public transport was constructed in order to compare service levels in 20 Italian regional capital cities and analyze emerging criticalities. The indicator aims at identifying the level of measurable rather than perceived public...

The paper analyses the issue of vertical equity relative to Local Public Transportation service with particular attention to resources and/or sacrifices allocation among different users groups. The evaluation of vertical equity can be inferred comparing indicators of need and accessibility...

This paper analyses the relationship between the service contract (and tender) design and the outcome of the tender in the local public tran sport. Data are collected through a survey involving about 50 territorial entities. It emerges that optimal contract (and tender) design crucially depends...