The 13th International Conference on Competition and Ownership in Land Passenger Transport
This conference will review the latest international developments in competition and ownership in land passenger transport, with reference to key political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental trends. The main emphasis is on public transport, but the role of reforms in road pricing and of other policy instruments to discourage car use as part of an integrated package to grow demand for public transport is also central to the conference.
The conference series began in Thredbo, in Australia, in 1989. The initial focus was on competition and ownership in the bus and coach industries, but this has been subsequently extended to consider other forms of land-based public transport. The interactions between competition and ownership and wider policy issues have also received increased attention.
The discussions at this conference will build on the dialogue at the Thredbo 12 conference, held in Durban, South Africa in September 2011. It will be based around seven broad workshop themes. The first theme will examine how more effective performance regimes may be developed, including consideration of the better use of management information. The second will consider the extent to which Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has transformed land-based passenger transport and the implications for competition and ownership. The third will look at the scope for institutional reform of public transport markets that remain regulated and will pay particular attention to the role of contextual factors. The fourth will examine the need for regulatory and other controls in broadly deregulated markets. The fifth will consider the role and responsibilities of government and operators in improving contractual design in limited competition models based on tendering, negotiation, and its variants. The sixth will look at issues around the delivery of sustainable public transport and will consider the competition and ownership models that can enhance deliverability. The seventh will examine issues around providing innovative finance for innovative public transport and the extent to which competition and ownership issues can impact on such innovation.
The conference series is intended to be inclusive with coverage of both developed and developing markets and of both formal and informal transport. A mark of its successful continuity as a series over 23 years has been the mix of key stakeholders sharing their experience, especially operators, regulators and government officials, as well as academics.
More information at the official website.
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