Demand for urban public transport in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Abstract The research aims to analyse the influence of selected factors on the demand for urban public transport in the Czech Republic. Urban public transport is important publicly provided service worldwide. In the Czech Republic this means public ownership of transport companies and massive subsidies from municipal budgets. In line with the literature, we tested the effects of the fares, the quality of services offered, the population´s income, car ownership, the urban population´s size and employment level. Using cointegration and regression analyses of data for 2004 to 2019, we constructed unique demand models for selected cities. Our analysis revealed a positive effect of quality, fuel price (as a cost associated with car ownership), and the urban population´s size. In contrast, unemployment and the price of fares have a negative effect on demand. The income effect depends on whether the transport company operates vehicles that cope better with traffic congestion.