Author(s)

J. Gnap, M. Mikusova

Abstract

The paper describes benchmarking – a systematic approach that provides performance assessment and identification of best practice – as a powerful tool for the development of performance, quality and economic efficiency of transport services. It presents results obtained from the study of pilot benchmarking application in urban public transport enterprises in Slovakia. Based on indicators elaborated in different EU projects, a new method of benchmarking applicable in the area of transport services was designed as well as a set of benchmarking indicators, which enabled the implementation of a comparative study. The proposed method, based on relative best practices, provided for each operator an indication of the remaining potential for performance improvement. The final part of this paper contains recommendations for the creation of a benchmarking system applicable in the field of public passenger transport and gives suggestions for the possible innovation of the presented methodology.

Keywords

benchmarking, urban public transport, quality, evaluation