Valuing Rider Quality in Swedish Special Transport Services—New Findings

Abstract

The Swedish Special Transport Services, with 0.42 million authorized pass-holders, is integrated into the Swedish public transport system. This article compares STS rider quality with present-day public transportation standards.A Swedish rider quality index is used to examine a stated preference questionnaire sent to 2,200 randomly chosen riders in Stockholm, Göteborg, and one rural district. A logit model was used for the statistical analysis.Waiting time at telephone switchboard was weighed for the entire population to 81 percent, information to 53 percent, and driver assistance to 21 percent regarding trip frequency. One minute Waiting time at telephone switchboard corresponed to 17.5 minutes travel time in the vehicle. Several rider catagories are discussed.The results of this analysis help to bring into focus decisive quality development aspects of the regular public transportation system from a city perspective. This is important, especially in encouraging the elderly, who experience different kinds of functinal disabilities, to use the regular public transportation system more often than they do at the present time. A public transportation standard must be offered that is adequate and that corresponds in quality to what both employed and elderly disabled riders want and need in accordance with their capabilities. Questions concerning timetable, information, and driver assistance are brought forward as important attraction components.