An Evaluation of the Role of Marketing in Public Transit Organizations

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the role of marketing in public transit organizations from a management perspective. Using a survey methodology, a national survey was conducted with a sample of 820 managers and individuals from a variety of specialized transit organizations across the United States. Twenty-three percent of the survey sample responded. Of this total, 43 percent were managers in public transit organizations, with the remainder being from a variety of specialized transit organizations. A majority of the nonmanager group was comprised of government transit entities. The findings suggest that some marketing departments are not a standard part of a transit firm’s organizational structure, and the department may be relatively small. There may be budgetary constraints also. In addition, even though the employees with marketing responsibilities are generally well educated and have several years of transportation industry experience, they may still have misperceptions about the role of marketing in the company.