A Bid for Better Transit: Improving service with contracted operations

Service contracting is a tool that government can use to improve transit service quality for riders and better position transit agencies to succeed in today's dynamic transportation industry. This report provides six case studies that show how cities have utilized service contracting as a tool to improve labor practices. Best practices include contracting that expands the government's ability to advance the public interest, creating clear contracts that align contractors' profit motive with agency goals, and symbiotic agency-contractor relationships to improve operations and foster innovation.