Factors affecting students’ intentions to use a university bus: Importance of travel attitudes and service quality attributes

Abstract

This paper aims to assess the student’s perceptions concerning to characteristics of a university bus service and private car. A questionnaire was designed consisting of personal and travel characteristics of the respondents, respondent's responses on the importance of various service qualities attributes, and mode choice characteristics. The total collected samples were 314 comprising of university students. The relaxed traveling, travel time saving, safety and privacy, and freedom and flexibility in traveling are significant characteristics of travel alternatives. Most of the students believe that traveling in a car gives them more freedom and flexibility in traveling. Traveling in a car is expensive, and students feel happy and relaxed while traveling on a university bus as compared to a car. Car-oriented and bus-oriented attitudes are also significant in determining the students’ intentions toward the university bus service considering their pro-social elements. These findings will help make improvements in the bus service seeking the students’ preferences.