Evolution of Satisfaction with Public Transport and Its Determinants in Sweden

Abstract

Measurement and analysis of satisfaction with public transport services facilitate service performance monitoring, market analysis, benchmarking, and the identification of priority areas. The systematic and regular collection of information concerning satisfaction enables investigation of how passengers’ satisfaction and its determinants change over time. These changes may be driven by changes in service quality or shifts in passengers’ expectations and preferences. This study analyzed how satisfaction with public transport and its determinants evolved over time in Sweden in the years 2001 to 2013. The determinants of satisfaction were identified by factor analysis and the estimation of multivariate satisfaction models. The superposition of these findings culminated in a dynamic passenger satisfaction priority map that allowed the identification of priority areas on the basis of observed trends in satisfaction with service attributes and their respective importance. The deterioration of overall satisfaction with public transport in Sweden in recent years has been driven by a decrease in satisfaction with customer interface and length of trip time. These two service aspects, as well as operation, were found to be key determinants of overall satisfaction that users consistently rated among the least satisfactory. The results of this study will support service providers in designing measures that will foster satisfaction in the future.