This paper is based on the results of a recent research conducted on the evolution of services in the last decade after the introduction of new LPTregulation. In the region of Calabria at the date there are 26 companies which provide public transport services; in 1996 there were 94. One of theconditions for the riduction of the number of operating companies was thequalification restrictions for the service assignment of at least 600.000Km/year. Since then smaller companies have been absorbed or have consorziated.On the planning of the service side, a reprogrammation of the servicehas been implemented. This has led to a policy for the companies, which could be summerised as "who doesn't adapt dies". During these years and important change in management and transport approach has taken place, basically oriented to improve the level of service in all its aspects (quality, performance, etc.), and to modernize the system. Until the introduction ofnew regulamentation in 1997, the system was fully subsidied , since then the Service plan for minimum services has been introduced, where as Publicservice contracts are to be awarded through a competitive tendering. Service programs are required to fulfill a revenue target, which is of least 35% on total operative cost, and difference between cost and revenue being at the date covered by public funding. Our results indicate that, althoughsubsidies have not increased, and for some services have strongly been reduced, there have been significant improvements in the quality of servicessuch as increased capacity, and increased frequencies in those services where competitive tendering has been introduced. The research used the datafrom three major Local Public Transport Companies in Italy which produce each over 4.000.000 Km/year. The companies which operate in different sectrors, urban, extra urban and some LPT combined raod and rail services, cover areas which go from high density centres, to urban sprawl and to scattered villages. The evolution of services, with the absorption of minor competitors and redundant services, following the EU regulation, let to a complete redefinition of the Transport Companies, in their administrative, financial and operative status. In the paper the distinguished steps will be discussed and the case study will be presented. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135582.
Samenvatting