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Monopoly, subsidies and the Mohring effect: A synthesis and an extension

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  • Andrés Gómez-Lobo

Abstract

This paper discusses the recent literature concerning the Mohring effect and the need to subsidize public transport in order to provide optimal frequencies when there is a monopoly provider. We show that all of the results of this literature are special cases of Spence (1975), albeit with a small adjustment in order to take into account the cost structure of frequency provision in the case of public transport. Although in theory there are cases when a monopolist will offer optimal or above optimal levels of frequency without requiring subsidies, we argue that this result is not very relevant from a public policy perspective. Public transport is rarely provided by an unregulated monopolist. Rather, these services are usually provided either by an exclusive operator under regulated fares or by a group of competing operators, with or without fare regulation. We show that in the first case frequency will always be below social optimal level and in the second case frequency may be overprovided under certain conditions particularly if fares are high. The implications of these results are discussed in the conclusions.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrés Gómez-Lobo, 2011. "Monopoly, subsidies and the Mohring effect: A synthesis and an extension," Working Papers wp336, University of Chile, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:udc:wpaper:wp336
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    File URL: http://www.econ.uchile.cl/uploads/publicacion/715bc4d96f1f147cb2d851c28e33c20d9a08377f.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mohring, Herbert, 1972. "Optimization and Scale Economies in Urban Bus Transportation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(4), pages 591-604, September.
    2. Ian W. H. Parry & Kenneth A. Small, 2009. "Should Urban Transit Subsidies Be Reduced?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(3), pages 700-724, June.
    3. Ian Savage & Kenneth A. Small, 2010. "A Comment on 'Subsidisation of Urban Public Transport and the Mohring Effect'," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 44(3), pages 373-380, September.
    4. Peran van Reeven, 2008. "Subsidisation of Urban Public Transport and the Mohring Effect," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 42(2), pages 349-359, May.
    5. Vladimir Karamychev & Peran van Reeven, 2010. "Oversupply or Undersupply in a Public Transport Monopoly? A Rejoinder and Generalisation," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 44(3), pages 381-389, September.
    6. Tomás Serebrisky & Andrés Gómez‐Lobo & Nicolás Estupiñán & Ramón Muñoz‐Raskin, 2009. "Affordability and Subsidies in Public Urban Transport: What Do We Mean, What Can Be Done?," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(6), pages 715-739, January.
    7. A. Michael Spence, 1975. "Monopoly, Quality, and Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 6(2), pages 417-429, Autumn.
    8. Leonardo J. Basso & Sergio R. Jara-Díaz, 2010. "The Case for Subsidisation of Urban Public Transport and the Mohring Effect," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 44(3), pages 365-372, September.
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