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Evaluating the efficiency of the Essential Air Service program in the United States

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  • Grubesic, Tony H.
  • Wei, Fangwu

Abstract

Essential Air Service (EAS) is a federally funded program in the United States that provides connecting, commercial air service between rural communities and their nearest large or medium commercial hub airport. During fiscal year 2010, $170million dollars were spent to provide this service to 107 communities in the US. However, with significant variations in subsidies to each airport (ranging from $427,757 to $3,082,403) and marked differences in passengers served, there are serious concerns regarding the overall efficiency of the EAS program. The purpose of this paper is to use data envelopment analysis integrated in a geographic information system for evaluating service efficiencies at the community level. Policy implications and strategies to improve the EAS program are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Grubesic, Tony H. & Wei, Fangwu, 2012. "Evaluating the efficiency of the Essential Air Service program in the United States," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 46(10), pages 1562-1573.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:46:y:2012:i:10:p:1562-1573
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2012.08.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Wittman, Michael D. & Allroggen, Florian & Malina, Robert, 2016. "Public service obligations for air transport in the United States and Europe: Connectivity effects and value for money," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 112-128.
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    6. Joshua Hall & Amanda Ross & Christopher Yencha, 2015. "The political economy of the Essential Air Service program," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 147-164, October.
    7. Yongha Park & Morton E O’Kelly, 2017. "Exploring accessibility from spatial interaction data: An evaluation of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program in the contiguous US air transport system," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(4), pages 930-951, April.
    8. Wittman, Michael D., 2014. "Public funding of airport incentives in the United States: The efficacy of the Small Community Air Service Development Grant program," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 220-228.
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    14. Tony Grubesic & Ran Wei & Alan Murray & Fangwu Wei, 2016. "Essential Air Service in the United States," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 39(1), pages 108-130, January.
    15. Grubesic, Tony H. & Murray, Alan T. & Matisziw, Timothy C., 2013. "A strategic approach for improving rural air transport in the United States," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 117-124.
    16. Koo, T. & Halpern, N. & Papatheodorou, A. & Graham, A. & Arvanitis, P., 2016. "Air transport liberalisation and airport dependency: developing a composite index," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 83-93.
    17. Ryerson, Megan S. & Kim, Amy M., 2018. "A drive for better air service: How air service imbalances across neighboring regions integrate air and highway demands," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 237-255.
    18. Wei, Fangwu & Grubesic, Tony H., 2016. "The pain persists: Exploring the spatiotemporal trends in air fares and itinerary pricing in the United States, 2002–2013," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 107-121.
    19. Fu, Qian & Kim, Amy M., 2016. "Supply-and-demand models for exploring relationships between smaller airports and neighboring hub airports in the U.S," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 67-79.
    20. Leão e Silva, Celso José & de Andrade, Maurício Oliveira & Falcão, Viviane Adriano & da Silva, Carlos Fabricio Assunção, 2022. "The geographical characteristics of subsidized air routes serving as lifelines," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).

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