01589827

Component

To retain and grow ridership, transit agencies continuously survey riders to learn how to improve services and understand what leads to rider satisfaction. Nevertheless, transit riders are not a homogeneous entity and understanding the distinctions between transit riders can help transit agencies in their efforts to provide satisfactory service to retain existing riders and attract new ones. To uncover how diverse aspects of bus services can differentially impact satisfaction of different riders, the authors use data from a large-scale, multiyear bus satisfaction survey from London, UK. Specifically, they model satisfaction using logistic regressions to learn how encumbered riders and riders with physical disabilities value different features of bus services compared to other types of riders. For riders traveling with large items, shopping bags, or children, the authors find that satisfaction depends on the presence and condition of a bus shelter and the availability of a seat. Satisfaction of riders with disabilities depends on information availability at the bus stop, as well as trip speed and reliability. The findings indicate that improving waiting area conditions can specifically increase the satisfaction of riders with disabilities and encumbrances. Findings from this paper can be of benefit to transit planners and policy makers as it offers new insights about the determinants of satisfaction of two groups of bus riders that were previously overlooked in the public transport literature.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AP030 Standing Committee on Public Transportation Marketing and Fare Policy. Alternate title: The Pursuit of Happiness: Variation in Satisfaction with Bus Transit Service Among Different Bus Users Using a Large-Scale Survey from London

01584066

16-2883

English

17p

2016

Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

References; Tables

Bus stops; Bus transit; Customer satisfaction; Physical disabilities; Ridership; Surveys

London (England)

Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2016 Paper #16-2883

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 12 2016 5:17PM