Abstract
This article proposes a methodology for studying the quality of service perceived by users of a public bicycle scheme. The public is involved from the first phases of the research through their presence in focus groups to identify the relevant variables asked about in the survey. Ordered probit models have been calibrated that consider systematic variations in preference and random parameters. The results highlight the importance of safety and available information above other service variables, as well as the adjustment in perception of overall quality after considering each of the characteristics of the service, as it is proposed in this methodology.
Highlights
The excessive use of private cars is causing many urban areas to suffer from problems such as congestion, and noise and air pollution, which are unsustainable and harmful to the environment, but they have a direct negative effect on the population’s health
The results show that, before the modifications were made to the service, users saw this hiring system as a pastime for the following reasons: the times it was available limited its use as a mode of transport, the “pick up and drop off points” were few and not suitable for using the bicycle as a mode of transport and there was too little cycling infrastructure
Aimed at improving the efficiency of managing this kind of service, this article proposes a process for evaluating the quality of service that users perceive they are experiencing from the actual performance of the system
Summary
The excessive use of private cars is causing many urban areas to suffer from problems such as congestion, and noise and air pollution, which are unsustainable and harmful to the environment, but they have a direct negative effect on the population’s health. One of the most widespread strategies for promoting this mode of transport in urban areas is the setting up of public bicycle sharing schemes. The demand for this alternative form of public transport has shown growth in many cities, and it becomes essential to efficiently adapt these systems to the requirements of their users. This research provides further knowledge on traveller behaviour and it is aimed at understanding how users perceive the quality of bicycle sharing systems. A discussion about the results of the modelling is presented in section 5, and section 6 contains the most important conclusions drawn from this research
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