Travelers’ Attitudes Toward Mobile Application–Based Public Transport Services in Lahore

Muhammad Ashraf Javid,Muhammad Abdullah,Syed Arif Hussain Shah,Nazam Ali

doi:10.1177/2158244020988709

Abstract

Many cities in developing countries are facing challenges of providing quality public transport facilities to the public. The demand-responsive transport (DRT) initiatives in some cities have helped in providing transportation alternatives to the travelers, and in filling the gap between demand and supply. Recently introduced DRT initiatives in Lahore included the mobile app-based Airlift and Swvl bus services. This article is aimed at evaluating the travelers’ attitudes toward mobile application (app)–based DRT services in Lahore with the help of a questionnaire survey. A questionnaire was designed consisting of travelers’ personal and travel information and their perceptions on selected attributes of Airlift and Swvl bus services. A total of 440 samples were collected through interviews. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed three factors of service quality, that is, Accessibility and Scheduling Attributes (ASA), Instrumental Attributes (IA), and Service Attraction Attributes (SAA). The results of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) showed that the ASA, IA, and SAA are significant determinants of travelers’ attitudes toward the existence of Airlift and Swvl bus services in Lahore. These factors have strong correlations with travelers’ intentions to use Airlift and Swvl services in the future. The waiting time at a stop, travelers’ income, vehicle ownership, trip purpose, and profession are also significant in determining the travelers’ attitudes and preferences with app-based public transport services. These findings would be helpful for the service providers and transport planners for making appropriate policies to improve the quality of these services.

Highlights

Since 1970, demand-responsive transport (DRT) has been considered a viable transport solution in situations where traditional public transport services are not sufficient or private taxi sharing is not economical (Chan & Shaheen, 2012)
If the public transport has (a) the riding facility which can be availed by the general public and it is not restricted to some specific group of passengers based on their demographic features or place of work, (b) the transit operations are carried out by low capacity vehicles, (c) the service provider adjusts the timetable, frequency, and route as per passenger ridership demands, and (d) fares are collected based on the number of passengers and not based on per vehicle, the service provided can be categorized as DRT public transport service
The survey results revealed that Airlift and Swvl bus services have significant potential in fulfilling the gaps in public transport demand and requirements of the potential users’ market

Summary

Introduction

Since 1970, demand-responsive transport (DRT) has been considered a viable transport solution in situations where traditional public transport services are not sufficient or private taxi sharing is not economical (Chan & Shaheen, 2012). If the public transport has (a) the riding facility which can be availed by the general public and it is not restricted to some specific group of passengers based on their demographic features or place of work, (b) the transit operations are carried out by low capacity vehicles (i.e., small buses, minivans, vans), (c) the service provider adjusts the timetable, frequency, and route as per passenger ridership demands, and (d) fares are collected based on the number of passengers and not based on per vehicle, the service provided can be categorized as DRT public transport service The provision of such public transport in the developing nations can be looked upon as a viable solution for easy mobility of the masses where traditional public transport

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Conclusion