In order for a city to provide the most efficient, reliable, cost effective, comfortable, and safe transportation options for the public, it must be controlled by a governing body that understands the unique needs of the region. This is the reason that local public transportation authorities (PTAs), which work directly with the residents and visitors in their cities, are better equipped to make decisions regarding public transportation. Currently, Israel’s transportation is managed under a centralized Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, although there have been several attempts to establish metropolitan authorities in Israel. As of today (July 2021), the issue has been proposed again by the Ministry of Finance and is awaiting a government vote. 

 

In this report, research was conducted on four older, well-established PTAs (London, England; Paris, France; Madrid, Spain; Montreal, Canada) and four newer PTAs (Greater Manchester, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; Valencia, Spain; and Auckland, New Zealand). The purpose was to understand the components necessary to form a successful PTA and compare the advantages and disadvantages of different operational methods. In choosing these cities, the quality and success of the public transportation systems was considered, as well as the availability of data and usefulness in relating them to Tel Aviv. The data was then separated into 15 categories covering the organization, finances, responsibilities, and objectives of each PTA.