Determinants of rolling stock maintenance cost in metros

Abstract

This study examines the economies of scale and the determinants of rolling stock maintenance costs for 24 urban rail transit operators. The estimates reveal significant returns to scale in maintenance for both per car and per car kilometre. The econometric analysis also provides statistically significant cost elasticities for wages and staff hours, suggesting substitution effects between factors. Staff outsourcing is found to significantly decrease costs, whereas higher levels of fleet availability at the peak and rolling stock failures increase it. The effect of the age of rolling stock and the network is negligible on rolling stock maintenance costs; however, the analysis reveals a downward trend in rolling stock costs among the metros in the CoMET and Nova consortia.