The social externalities of Australian bus and coach operators: how governance affects community prosperity

Governments determine public transport provision based on service provision costs, without attention to valuing social contributions. This thesis explores the social contribution of various governance models in the Australian bus and coach industry by identifying and valuing the ways in which family and non-family bus operators interact with their communities. It asks whether the family-based transport business is the best model for public transport outcomes and whether this model is sustainable. It addresses the role of the industry representative body for operators in promoting and maintaining the best outcomes for community prosperity and encouraging the most effective corporate governance model.