Assessing travel satisfaction in public transport: A configurational approach

Alexandre Sukhov,Katrin Lättman,Lars E Olsson,Margareta Friman,Satoshi Fujii

doi:10.1016/j.trd.2021.102732

Alexandre Sukhov, Katrin Lättman + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.102732

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Abstract

Previous findings have established that satisfaction with public transport service quality attributes (reliability/functionality, information, courtesy/simplicity, comfort, safety) relate to overall travel satisfaction. Recent studies propose that the importance of these attributes for travel satisfaction varies in different contexts and call for new approaches for enhancing the understanding of these relationships. We address this call by using a configurational perspective and applying fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), to explore how satisfaction with service quality attributes relate to high travel satisfaction. By analyzing user survey data before and after an intervention in public transport services in a Swedish city, we: 1) find that high travel satisfaction occurs in the interaction between service quality attributes; 2) identify different configurations of satisfaction with service quality attributes leading to high travel satisfaction; and 3) show how context alters overall travel satisfaction. We conclude that using a configurational approach is useful for understanding the complexity of travel satisfaction.

Highlights

Using public transport for daily commute is an important element in many people’s lives
This allowed us to examine whether high travel satisfaction is the outcome of an interplay between satisfaction with multiple service quality attributes; whether different configurations of service quality conditions can lead to high travel satisfaction; and whether configurations leading to high travel satisfaction before the intervention differ to the configurations after the intervention
We observe that high overall travel satisfaction is associated with different configurations of satisfaction with service quality attributes, and that safety has an inherent part in overall travel satisfaction

Summary

Introduction

Using public transport for daily commute is an important element in many people’s lives. Previous studies show that having high quality public transport services contribute to an improved overall travel satisfaction (Olsson et al, 2020), and that satisfaction with daily travel relate to the overall quality of life (Ettema et al, 2010). The dominant theory for assessing travel satisfaction is the utility-maximization theory (McFadden, 2001) According to this theory, satisfaction is equated with the perceived utility of the chosen (travel) alternative and, unlike decision utility, experienced utility focuses on how the traveler values the outcome of a choice. Satisfaction is equated with the perceived utility of the chosen (travel) alternative and, unlike decision utility, experienced utility focuses on how the traveler values the outcome of a choice This outcome can relate to satisfaction during travel or satisfaction as remembered when recalling a specific trip or a specific mode.

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