Transit Pricing Demonstration in Bridgeport, Connecticut: A Case Study

Details

• Creators:
  Donnelly, Robert M. ; Schwartz, C.
• Corporate Creators:
  Comsis Corporation
• Corporate Contributors:
  John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.) ; United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Bus Transit Commuting Employers Marketing Peak Periods Pricing Retail Trade Small Cities
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT-TSC-UMTA-86-4;UMTA-CT-06-0008-86-1
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.21949/1526678
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Connecticut
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Abstract:
  Sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Office of Service and Management Demonstrations, the Bridgeport Pricing Demonstration began in September 1979 and ended in June 1985. It was one element of a broader brokerage demonstration at the Greater Bridgeport Transit District (GBTD). The purpose of this case study report is to document the results of the pricing program, and their implications for other areas and transit agencies where similar actions might be considered. The focus of the demonstration was the development of innovative fare prepayment mechanisms and their use in marketing the fixed-route bus system. The pricing manager designed fare prepayment mechanisms guided by revenue maximization and market segmentation objectives. A Commuter Pass was designed for use by commuters, and was restricted to use on weekdays during peak-hours only. The Fare Cutter Card was developed as an unrestricted, partial payment pass that required a small on-board cash fare for each trip made. Sales of the innovative passes implemented in Bridgeport were modest due to the lack of a sizable commuter or very price-sensitive transit market there. In other urban areas with different market and service characteristics, ridership response to similar market-segmented and restrictive use passes might be stronger. Private sector involvement in the form of fare prepayment subsidization and joint marketing was also a major element of the pricing demonstration. The pricing manager actively pursued a program of basic transit marketing in Bridgeport, in which tokens and merchant discount coupons became a significant mechanism for various forms of transit promotion. Many of these efforts drew substantial employer and business community support and participation.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  DOT-TSC-1753
• Collection(s):
  Volpe Center
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:4be946d34412256f408b944648a9a9a4c7ac017a947f48edad68289bf7ad770b
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/10249/dot_10249_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.33 MB ]