Role of Inputs, Processes, and Relations in Transportation System Performance Management: Case Study of Regional Transportation Collaborations

Abstract

This study aims to expand understanding of how regional transportation collaboration operates and examines the relationships between collaboration and performance. To do so, nine regional safety coalitions that use collaboration as a strategic approach to achieve transportation performance are examined. A conceptual framework connecting regional transportation collaboration and performance is developed from a review of the literature. A survey was used to collect data about coalition-member perceptions of regional transportation collaboration and performance, and a cross-case comparison was used to evaluate relationships. Methods adopted include a relative importance index, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression. Findings show that the structure plus governance of a regional transportation collaboration is the strongest predictor of performance. Significant differences were found between high-performing and low-performing collaborations in terms of resources available and access to tools. Regional coordinator stability was found to create significant differences in effectiveness, and performance efficiency was identified as an area for improvement for low-performing collaborations. Overall contributions to engineering management literature are achieved by highlighting approaches to organize and operate regional transportation collaborations explicitly for the purpose of improved performance management.