The use of part-time employees became widespread in the U.S. transit industry in the late 1970s. Hiring part-time employees was viewed largely as a means of reducing or controlling labor-related costs, which represent 60 to 80 percent of the annual operating budget of most US. transit systems. Although part-time employees can fill a wide variety of positions at transit systems, such as cleaners, mechanics, or service information providers, the majority of part-time employees are vehicle operators. Consequently, this project will focus on the use of part-time vehicle operators and the associated impacts.
Because most transit systems provide considerably more service in the weekday morning and evening rush hours than in the middle of the day, more vehicle operators are needed to provide the peak service. However, the morning and evening rush hours each last only 3 to 4 hours, making it difficult to use 8-hour work shifts effectively. This situation has resulted in complicated labor agreement provisions and work rules relating to workday duration and pay practices for long work shifts. The use of part-time employment can create the opportunity for cost savings and productivity improvement by better matching labor expenditures with the transit services provided.
Employment practices and policies for part-time employees at transit systems have evolved over the past 20 years resulting in diverse local practices for hiring, compensating, assigning, and promoting both full- and part-time transit employees. In the mid-1980s, several short-term studies were completed, documenting the potential financial benefits and scheduling flexibility of part-time operators. However, because there was so little real experience with part-time operators, it was not possible to conduct thorough analyses. Actual savings were not well documented, nor were potential hidden costs. It is not known, for example, whether part-time operators have different rates for accidents, workers' compensation claims, and customer complaints than full-time operators. Little research has been conducted during the intervening years on this subject even though the use of part-time operators is now common. Because no comprehensive documentation or analysis of the short- and longer-term impacts of part-time transit employees exists, there is a need for an industrywide investigation of the managerial, financial, operational, safety, and performance impacts of part-time operators on transit systems and for the development of a fuller understanding of the longer-term effects of these organizational practices.
The objective of this research was to inform transit system management, governing boards, labor unions, and employees how to realize benefits from the use of part-time transit operators and avoid potential negative impacts. This research on part-time operators reflects concern for transit system operating costs, safety, service reliability, customer satisfaction, labor-management relations, and employee satisfaction.
Status: The final report was published as
TCRP Report 68 in April 2001.
