Entries by Robert Melia

Missing the Bus: The Fight to Contract Competitively for MBTA Bus Service

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Public transit agencies across the nation are struggling to control costs without reducing service. One effective strategy used by a growing number of public transit agencies is to contract competitively for bus operations. Almost without exception, these agencies report that private bus companies can deliver equal or better service at a 20 to 30 percent lower cost.

Public Profits from Private contracts: A Case Study in Human Services

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Robert Melia, author of Pioneer’s White Paper entitled Public Profits From Private Contracts and former vice president of Policy Studies, Inc, used child support enforcement as a case study to compare private versus public delivery of human services. Melia argued that competitive contracting is often a more effective way of delivering services not because public employees are inefficient or private companies pay less, but because bureaucratic checks and balances are inherent in government.