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The limits to competition in urban bus services in developing countries

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  • Estache, Antonio
  • Gomez-Lobo, Andres

Abstract

The authors make the case for the return of regulation in the organization of urban bus services in developing countries. During the past three decades urban public transport policy has gone through several phases. The 1980s and 1990s were characterized by liberalization of the sector from public ownership and monopoly provision. The experience of several countries, in particular Chile, indicates that a full liberalization of the sector may not be the welfare-maximizing option. The authors discuss the market failures that justify this claim and present the regulatory options available in this emerging new role of government. Throughout the paper they illustrate ideas with examples from Chile, Colombia, and a few other countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Estache, Antonio & Gomez-Lobo, Andres, 2004. "The limits to competition in urban bus services in developing countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3207, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:3207
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    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.
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    5. Steven C. Salop, 1979. "Monopolistic Competition with Outside Goods," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 10(1), pages 141-156, Spring.
    6. Frank A. Wolak, 1994. "An Econometric Analysis of the Asymmetric Information, Regulator-Utility Interaction," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 34, pages 1-12.
    7. Laffont, Jean-Jacques & Tirole, Jean, 1987. "Auctioning Incentive Contracts," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 95(5), pages 921-937, October.
    8. repec:adr:anecst:y:1994:i:34:p:02 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Jean-Jacques Laffont & Jean Tirole, 1993. "A Theory of Incentives in Procurement and Regulation," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262121743, December.
    10. Andrei Shleifer, 1985. "A Theory of Yardstick Competition," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 16(3), pages 319-327, Autumn.
    11. B. de Borger & K. Kerstens, 2006. "The performance of bus-transit operators," Post-Print hal-00185456, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhi-Chun Li & William Lam & S. Wong, 2012. "Optimization of Number of Operators and Allocation of New Lines in an Oligopolistic Transit Market," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Luc Baumstark & Claude Ménard & William Roy & Anne Yvrande-Billon, 2005. "Modes de gestion et efficience des opérateurs dans le secteur des transports urbains de personnes," Post-Print halshs-00103116, HAL.
    3. Manuel Martínez Espinal, 2017. "Transporte público de buses versus congestión y contaminación en Lima y Callao Reflexiones para la política sectorial de salud en Perú a partir de las Cuentas Nacionales de Salud," Revista Economía, Fondo Editorial - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, vol. 40(79), pages 47-86.
    4. Daniel Albalate & Germà Bel & Joan Calzada, 2010. "Urban transport governance reform in Barcelona," IREA Working Papers 201009, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jun 2010.
    5. Kenneth A. Small, 2007. "Urban Transportation Policy: A Guide and Road Map," Working Papers 060724, University of California-Irvine, Department of Economics.
    6. Hensher, David A., 2007. "Sustainable public transport systems: Moving towards a value for money and network-based approach and away from blind commitment," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 98-102, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor Policies; Roads&Highways; Economic Theory&Research; Environmental Economics&Policies; Banks&Banking Reform; Urban Transport; Inter-Urban Roads and Passenger Transport; Roads&Highways; Environmental Economics&Policies; Banks&Banking Reform;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L92 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Railroads and Other Surface Transportation

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