Assessment of the service quality in public transport (analysis of research in Lviv, Ukraine)

Abstract

The paper assesses the quality of public transport services and the influence of individual components on the value of the overall satisfaction level with transport services. Public transport has many benefits in terms of energy savings, environmental impact, social equity and urban economy. The analysis of existing research confirms that the quality of service provided by the public transport system affects the intentions of potential passengers to use it more. However, the level of economic well-being, the state of development of the transport system, and the national strategy for developing social mobility influence the different perceptions of the importance of similar parameters of public transport functioning. The research was conducted based on the results of surveys of the population of Lviv. It was found that the perception of value indicators (fare and methods of paying for travel) differs the most depending on age, average monthly income and type of employment. The socio-economic indicators of the respondents have the least influence on the change in the estimation of time indicators of displacement. In this case, the level of satisfaction correlates with the actual durations of individual components of the movement (the time of the trip and the waiting time at the stop). According to the results of the surveys, the time parameters of the movement, the occupancy of the vehicle, the cleanliness of the vehicle, and the behavior of the driver have more influence on the overall assessment of the transport service quality indicator than the equipment of the stop, the convenience of boarding/alighting, the noise in the vehicle, and the convenience of paying for the fare. The obtained results can be useful for providers and customers of transport services when determining priority measures to improve the quality of public transport.