Abstract
PurposeThis paper is a study of the user’s perception of urban and suburban transport and was carried out in an attempt to compare the social value of various means of transport. The measurement of social perceptions is carried out with regard to ambient conditions, space, signs, front-line employees and other customers as stakeholders of both public transport services. Thus, this paper aims to identify the reasons for individuals’ preferences when choosing one particular means of transport for their daily life.ResultsThe results show that user perceptions of the underground are slightly better than the perceptions of buses; the results also highlight the decent management of both means of transport in terms of quality air, temperature, space, noise, cleanliness, smell and seating facilities. Some modest improvements are recommended to enhance public transportation service delivery.ConclusionsThis approach reflects the gap between the social perception of a service and companies’ financial situations. Management policies are necessary to improve the service’s social value.
Highlights
No one doubts the need for a collective transport system in cities
3 Results and discussion We have divided the results into the three blocks of the Servicescape Model: 1) User’s first impressions, 2) ‘Feeling’ or Internal Responses, which are related to the users’ more inner sensations, and 3) users’ specific ‘Behaviour’ in response to the perceived service
5 Conclusions This research work has enabled us to apply the advantages of the Servicescape Model and the methodology of the corresponding survey
Summary
No one doubts the need for a collective transport system in cities. The combined relationships between urban nuclei and metropolitan areas make this movement more difficult. Neirotti et al [51] state that cities currently must be identified as complex systems, with large populations, businesses, services and interconnected transport means. Mobility necessities may lead to problems in terms of congestion and pollution, noise and economic cost [2, 7, 44]. These problems are worse in the urban sphere, in which the majority of the population is concentrated [35]
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