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Testing for collusion in bus contracting in London

Author

Listed:
  • Waterson, Michael

    (University of Warwick)

  • Xie, Jian

    (University of Warwick)

Abstract

We investigate the London bus market, a large market with regular procurement of bus services, for possible collusion using a wide variety of techniques, making use of the data at our disposal. There is little evidence of collusion in bidding for contracts apparent from our data, despite some features of the market that might lead to collusive behaviour.

Suggested Citation

  • Waterson, Michael & Xie, Jian, 2019. "Testing for collusion in bus contracting in London," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1196, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:wrk:warwec:1196
    as

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    File URL: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/workingpapers/2019/twerp_1196_waterson.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:bla:jindec:v:45:y:1997:i:4:p:429-43 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Paul Belleflamme & Francis Bloch, 2004. "Market sharing agreements and collusive networks," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 45(2), pages 387-411, May.
    3. Porter, Robert H & Zona, J Douglas, 1993. "Detection of Bid Rigging in Procurement Auctions," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(3), pages 518-538, June.
    4. Johan Stennek, 1997. "Coordination in Oligopoly," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 99(4), pages 541-554, December.
    5. Sylvain Chassang & Juan Ortner, 2019. "Collusion in Auctions with Constrained Bids: Theory and Evidence from Public Procurement," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(5), pages 2269-2300.
    6. Robert H. Porter & J. Douglas Zona, 1999. "Ohio School Milk Markets: An Analysis of Bidding," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 30(2), pages 263-288, Summer.
    7. Svend Albæk & Peter Møllgaard & Per B. Overgaard, 1997. "Government‐Assisted Oligopoly Coordination? A Concrete Case," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 429-443, December.
    8. Marhsall, Robert C. & Marx, Leslie M., 2014. "The Economics of Collusion: Cartels and Bidding Rings," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262525941, December.
    9. Miguel Amaral & Stéphane Saussier & Anne Yvrande-Billon, 2013. "Expected Number of Bidders and Winning Bids: Evidence from the London Bus Tendering Model," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 47(1), pages 17-34, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cartel behaviour ; Procurement ; Detecting Cartels ; Bus market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices
    • L92 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Railroads and Other Surface Transportation
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis

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