Title: Service quality and customer satisfaction in public transport operations

Authors: Christian Tabi Amponsah; Samuel Adams

Addresses: Skyline University College, University City of Sharjah, P.O. Box 1797, Sharjah, UAE ' Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, P.O. Box AH 50, Achimota, Accra, Ghana

Abstract: This study presents an assessment of the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction of public transport operations of Vancouver Lower Mainland in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. A judgement sample of 205 was collected from an urban population of the Translink system for the study. The SERVQUAL model, noted for its robustness in measuring customer satisfaction, was adapted for the study. The dimensions for the study were characterised along the lines of tangible and intangible for transport users to evaluate service quality of the system. The main findings of the study showed a significant relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction, overcrowding of buses and overall satisfaction with service. In addition, late-hour services had a significantly negative effect on overall satisfaction, value for fare paid and overall services provided by the operators.

Keywords: service quality; customer satisfaction; quality characteristics; public transport; Canada; SERVQUAL; urban transport; bus overcrowding; buses; late-hour services; late-night services; value for fares; value for money.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2016.080279

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2016 Vol.25 No.4, pp.531 - 549

Received: 26 Mar 2015
Accepted: 25 May 2015

Published online: 10 Nov 2016 *

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