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[Apologies for strange word-wrap] I am looking for help. We have a new CEO here at SAPTCO. The company being a parastatal (mainly privately owned, mainly government controlled) it is not surprising that he has come from the Saudi Ministry of Finance. He is an Engineer (I think) and he knows nothing about Buses or Public Transport, beyond what any intelligent man-in-the-street knows. He wants me to find him some suitable reading material to fill this gap. Ilhamdul'illah! SAPTCO has 2,600 buses, roughly split between (profitable) Inter-City operation and (loss-making) urban operation. the latter has suffered considerable management neglect of late. (We are now carrying about 10% of the traffic we were 18 years ago, with roughly the same size fleet! Admittedly, our contract business had increased significantly - until this summer, when we lost most of it. Eggs and Baskets come to mind.) What I am looking for is a recent book that gives adequate coverage to the business side of bus operation. It should preferably not be restricted to a particular country, but should look at the revolution in bus operation typified by Deregulation and Privatisation in the UK. The message I am looking to convey is that buses can provide an urban transport system that is well-organised and of good quality, without incurring enormous subsidies. It needs to balance the totally-free-market approach against the totally-planned approach. Does anyone know of a suitable work? Or alternatively, is there on the Web a (Public) Transportation book list? the only title I have come up with so far is Peter White's "Public Transport - Its Planning, Management and Operation". I have to admit that I haven't read it (but I will buy it!), but from what I know it is very UK, and looks from the academic rather than business standpoint. All assistance most welcome. -- [log in to unmask] Alan Howes, Special Advisor, Saudi Public Transport Company, Riyadh +966 1 454 5000 ext. 156 Personal email: [log in to unmask] -- Alan & Jacqui Howes, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Otherwise Perthshire, Scotland) [log in to unmask] (home) [log in to unmask] (work) http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/alanhowes/ [Needs Updating!] PLEASE DO NOT SEND LARGE MESSAGES (>100kB) WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE (Above applies to "home" address only) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%