Thomas Light

Senior Economist; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Off Site Office

Education

Ph.D. and M.S. in economics, Cornell University; B.S. in economics and accounting, University of Oregon

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Thomas Light is a senior economist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research spans a variety of areas including military acquisition, cost, and logistics issues as well as transportation and energy policy. Examples of Light's research include an analysis of cost and schedule growth for military acquistion programs; a study of the effects of restructuring Air Force aircraft maintenance career fields; an assessment of the benefits and costs of speeding up highway expansion projects in Southern California; an analysis of alternative policy options for reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions; an evaluation of strategies for reducing domestic oil consumption; and a review of equity concerns associated with congestion pricing. In addition to his research activities at RAND, Light has taught public finance at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Benchmarking schedules for major defense acquisition programs
Assessment of military acquisition protests
Evaluation of options for managing spent nuclear fuel
Analysis of equity issues associated with congestion pricing

Selected Publications

Light, Thomas.; Romano, Daniel M.; Kennedy, Michael,; O'Connell, Caolionn.; Bednarz, Sean G., Consolidating Air Force Maintenance Occupational Specialties, RAND Corporation (RR-1307), 2016

Boito, Michael; Light, Thomas.; Mills, Patrick H.; Baldwin, Laura H, Managing U.S. Air Force Aircraft Operating and Support Costs: Insights from Recent RAND Analysis and Opportunities for the Future, RAND Corporation (RR-1077), 2016

T. Light, "Optimal Highway Design and User Welfare Under Value Pricing," Journal of Urban Economics, 66(2), 2009

L. Ecola and T. Light, Equity and Congestion Pricing: A Review of the Evidence, RAND Corporation (TR-680), 2009

Honors & Awards

Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, Federal Highway Administration

Publications

Report
Managing Military Personnel Costs: Operation Retrenchment Specter, A Workforce Futures Game
To weigh options in managing military personnel costs, the U.S. Air Force explores trade-offs in a workforce futures policy game that simulates the monetary and nonmonetary effects of workforce and personnel policies in real time.
Jun 13, 2023
Report
Assessing the Implications of Policy Options for the Military Personnel Budget: An Analytic Framework for Evaluating Costs and Trade-Offs
A new tool simulates how various Department of the Air Force personnel policy changes could affect military spending. The tool lets users view cost variances and trade-offs when adjusting such factors as personnel count, rank, and experience levels.
Jan 17, 2023
Report
Trends in U.S. Air Force Aircraft Mishap Rates (1950–2018)
The authors describe trends in U.S. Air Force aircraft mishap rates and assess the impact of such factors as aircraft age on those rates over time.
Nov 30, 2020
Report
Evaluating Alternative Maintenance Manpower Force Structure Concepts for the F-35A
The authors of this report evaluate the costs and benefits of maintenance manpower force structures in the U.S. Air Force that merge maintenance career fields in different ways, including alternatives that are being explored by the Air Force today.
Sep 3, 2020
Report
F-35 Block Buy: An Assessment of Potential Savings
This report assesses potential cost savings available through use of a three-year block buy contract for procurement of F-35 aircraft during fiscal years 2018-2020 -- approximately $2.1 billion, or 4.9 percent of the cost of annual contracting.
Jul 18, 2018
Report
Benchmarking Schedules for Major Defense Acquisition Programs
Describes an approach for evaluating the schedule plans for major defense acquisition programs that have recently entered the Air Force portfolio.
Apr 11, 2018
Report
Quantifying Cost and Schedule Uncertainty for Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs)
To help the Air Force better anticipate cost and schedule challenges and manage programs, this study developed a methodology to evaluate the likelihood of cost growth and schedule slip for major defense acquisition projects (MDAPs).
Jul 17, 2017
Report
Expanding Flight Research: Capabilities, Needs, and Management Options for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate
NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate asked RAND to assess flight research capabilities and needs, and to identify management options that would facilitate increased and improved flight research.
Jun 27, 2016
Report
Managing U.S. Air Force Aircraft Operating and Support Costs: Insights from Recent RAND Analysis and Opportunities for the Future
To help the Air Force manage rising operating and support (O&S) costs for aircraft, this report describes key findings from previous RAND analyses, discusses current Air Force efforts to address O&S costs, and recommends additional actions.
May 6, 2016
Journal Article
Understanding the Potential of Variable Tolling to Smooth Congestion on Downstream Facilities: Applications of a Joint Time-of-Day and Route Choice Model
The aim of this research was to understand the conditions under which time-varying tolls could be used to effectively smooth congestion on a downstream, untolled roadway.
Apr 6, 2016
Report
Consolidating Air Force Maintenance Occupational Specialties
This report examines the cost and readiness implications of consolidating maintenance occupational specialties for new and legacy mobility fleets. Implications are derived from an assessment conducted for the KC-135 fleet.
Mar 9, 2016
Report
The Impact of Adopting Time-of-Day Tolling: Case Study of 183A in Austin, Texas
This study evaluates the traffic and revenue impacts of moving from a fixed toll rate on the 183A Turnpike in Texas to a toll structure that varies by time of day.
Jun 18, 2015
Journal Article
Preparing State Transportation Agencies for an Uncertain Energy Future
This report examines how the mandate, role, funding, and operations of state departments of transportation (DOTs) will likely be affected by changes in energy supply and demand in the next 30 to 50 years.
2014
Report
Commercial Intratheater Airlift: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Use in U.S. Central Command
Intratheater airlift delivers critical and time-sensitive supplies to deployed forces, but is it cost effective to use commercial, rather than organic Air Force, aircraft to supply this airlift?
Apr 8, 2013
Report
Qatar's School Transportation System: Supporting Safety, Efficiency, and Service Quality (Arabic-language version)
Assesses stakeholder perspectives on Qatar's school transportation system (STS), identifies a vision and goals for the STS, and discusses strategies to achieve the vision and better align Qatar's STS with international norms. This is the Arabic-language version.
Mar 28, 2012
Report
Analysis of Government Accountability Office Bid Protests in Air Force Source Selections over the Past Two Decades
The authors used administrative databases on Air Force procurements to analyze trends and identify factors contributing to bid protest activity and outcomes.
Feb 22, 2012
Report
Government Accountability Office Bid Protests in Air Force Source Selections: Evidence and Options — Executive Summary
Recent bid protests have caused large disruptions in resource and operational planning in the Air Force, even leading to the cancellation of the Combat Search and Rescue helicopter program, and the Air Force needs tactics to counter such protests.
Feb 22, 2012
Report
Government Accountability Office Bid Protests in Air Force Source Selections: Evidence and Options
Recent bid protests have caused large disruptions in resource and operational planning in the Air Force, even leading to the cancellation of the Combat Search and Rescue helicopter program, and the Air Force needs tactics to counter such protests.
Feb 22, 2012
Report
Qatar's School Transportation System: Supporting Safety, Efficiency, and Service Quality
Assesses stakeholder perspectives on Qatar's school transportation system (STS), identifies a vision and goals for the STS, and discusses strategies to achieve the vision and better align Qatar's STS with international norms.
Feb 13, 2012
Research Brief
Updating Qatar's School Transportation System
Describes a vision for updating Qatar's school transportation system and identifies strategies for achieving the proposed vision.
Feb 13, 2012
Journal Article
High Occupancy Toll Lane Performance Under Alternative Pricing Policies
This paper explores how alternative pricing and operating policies influence revenue generation, level of service, and travel time costs for high occupancy toll (HOT) lane facilities.
2012
Report
Pricing Strategies for NASA Wind-Tunnel Facilities
The authors explore six potential approaches to pricing the use of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wind-tunnel test facilities, and they evaluate each approach against three criteria -- efficiency, fiscal impact, and fairness.
Oct 4, 2011
Report
Advancing Aeronautics: A Decision Framework for Selecting Research Agendas
Develops a unified decisionmaking approach for selecting aeronautics research agendas that quantifies the social and economic reasons for the research, balances competing perspectives, and enables transparent explanation of the resulting decisions.
Feb 17, 2011
Journal Article
Making Congestion Pricing Equitable
Identifies and assesses ways of making congestion pricing equitable.
2011
Report
Managing Spent Nuclear Fuel: Strategy Alternatives and Policy Implications
The United States has yet to implement a strategy for managing spent nuclear fuel. This book examines technical and institutional approaches to spent fuel management and highlights policy implications of pursuing alternative strategies.
Nov 5, 2010
Report
Ending F-22A Production: Costs and Industrial Base Implications of Alternative Options
Evaluates the costs and industrial base implications of alternative shutdown options for the F-22A program after the last production aircraft is delivered.
Feb 10, 2010
Research Brief
Natural Gas and Israel's Energy Future: Planning Amid Deep Uncertainty
Israel must control future electricity demand. It can build a secure energy infrastructure in which natural gas provides up to 40 percent of electric power generation but only by taking measures to limit supply disruptions.
Dec 22, 2009
Report
Natural Gas and Israel's Energy Future: Near-Term Decisions from a Strategic Perspective
By applying new methods for strategic planning and decisionmaking under deep uncertainty, this analysis seeks to help Israel manage change by choosing robust strategies that minimize potential consequences of relying more heavily on natural gas.
Dec 15, 2009
Report
Natural Gas and Israel's Energy Future: A Strategic Analysis Under Conditions of Deep Uncertainty
Israel must employ strategic alternatives to make the best use of domestic and imported natural gas. This report explores natural gas-utilization and supply-infrastructure strategies in the face of uncertainty.
Dec 10, 2009
Report
Equity and Congestion Pricing: A Review of the Evidence
Some congestion pricing projects have been undertaken to address traffic congestion, but some worry that congestion pricing is inequitable. This report looks at the evidence that might support or negate this claim.
May 21, 2009
Research Brief
Does Imported Oil Threaten U.S. National Security?
U.S. reliance on oil risks the economic costs of disruption in global oil supplies. The United States would reduce the national security costs of importing oil by supporting well-functioning oil markets and imposing an oil excise tax.
May 5, 2009
Report
Imported Oil and U.S. National Security
The United States imports three-fifths of the oil it consumes. This book evaluates possible links between these imports and U.S. national security and assesses related potential policies.
Apr 20, 2009
Report
Evaluating Options for U.S. Greenhouse-Gas Mitigation Using Multiple Criteria
This paper develops a framework for evaluating U.S. greenhouse gas-mitigation policy balancing several criteria, beyond just cost-effectiveness, to reflect institutional and political realities and the policies' effects on producers and consumers.
Apr 3, 2009
Journal Article
In Search of Effective and Viable Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
This article discusses research into policies to manage greenhouse gases in the U.S. Debates in the U.S. Congress regarding the distribution of economic impacts associated with different mechanisms designed to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are considered.
2009
Journal Article
Optimal Highway Design and User Welfare Under Value Pricing
This paper investigates the optimal design of highways operated under a form of congestion pricing called value pricing.
2009
Report
Balancing Environment and Development: Costs, Revenues, and Benefits of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan
A large habitat-conservation reserve is being created in western Riverside County to mitigate development effects on threatened and endangered species. This monograph examines the plan's costs, revenues, and effects on the permitting process.
Oct 18, 2008
Research Brief
Reducing Traffic Congestion in Los Angeles
This research brief identifies key factors determining L.A. transportation policy needs and makes 13 recommendations that together could reduce congestion -- arguably the worst in the country -- substantially within five years.
Sep 3, 2008
Report
Moving Los Angeles: Short-Term Policy Options for Improving Transportation
The authors of this book recommend strategies for reducing traffic congestion in the Los Angeles area that could significantly enhance quality of life, reduce economic and environmental costs, and improve social justice within about five years.
Aug 23, 2008