Is it possible to attract private vehicle users towards public transport? Understanding the key role of service quality, satisfaction and involvement on behavioral intentions

This paper contributes to the public transport literature by ascertaining the role of involvement upon the service quality-satisfaction-behavioral intentions paradigm from the point of view of private vehicle users. This is the first study that provides a comprehensive understanding of this framework based on the private vehicle users’ perspective. The added value of this research is that, by using a structural equation modeling approach, it provides a comparison of alternative models and uses data from different samples collected in five large metropolitan areas (Berlin, Lisbon, London, Madrid and Rome) for modeling validation. In addition, a SEM-MIMIC approach was applied for controlling the heterogeneity of data due to specific characteristics of the interviewee (territorial setting, place of residence, demographic and socio-economic characteristics and travel related variables). The findings show that involvement is a full mediator between satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and that satisfaction is a full mediator between service quality and involvement. Furthermore, the SEM-MIMIC results revealed that the four latent factors investigated (service quality, satisfaction, involvement and behavioral intentions) dealt with highly heterogenous data. However, the most important finding is that private vehicle users’ involvement is the factor that contributes most to their behavioral intentions towards public transport. Hence, public transport managers might benefit from these outcomes when establishing detailed policies and specific guidelines for public transport systems to engage private vehicle users in a higher degree of usage of public transport services.Spanish Government TRA2015-66235-

Analysis of transit quality of service through segmentation and classification tree techniques

Perceptions about the quality of service are very different among public transport (PT) users. Users’ perceptions are heterogeneous for many reasons: the qualitative aspects of PT service, users’ socio-economic characteristics, and the diversity of tastes and attitudes towards PT. By analysing different groups of users who share a common characteristic (e.g. socio-economic or travel behaviour), it is possible to homogenise user opinions about the quality of service. This paper studies quality as perceived by users of the metropolitan transit system of Granada (Spain) through a classification tree technique (classification and regression trees (CART)) based on five market segmentations (gender, age, frequency of use, reason for travelling, and type of ticket). CART is a non-parametric method that has a number of advantages compared to other methods that require a predefined underlying relationship between dependent and independent variables. The study is based on data gathered in several customer satisfaction surveys (non-research-oriented) conducted in the Granada metropolitan transit system. The models' outcomes show that some attributes are very important for almost all the market segments (punctuality and information), while others are not very relevant for any of the segments – most notably fare, despite the fact that fare was stated as very important by most of the passengers during the interviewConserjería de Innovación, Ciencia y Economía of the Junta de Andalucía (Spain) through the Excellence Research Project denominated “Q-METROBUS-Quality of service indicator for METROpolitan public BUS transport services”

Service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions towards public transport from the point of view of private vehicle users

In order to attract car users towards the public transport services in an urban and metropolitan context, contributing to a sustainable mobility in cities, it is fundamental to improve our knowledge of service quality perceptions, satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward transit from the point of view of private transport users. This paper is based on the data from a single survey —carried out in two European cities (Madrid and Lisbon) — of regular private vehicle users that use public transport at least occasionally. The questionnaire gathers information about 14 attributes of service quality, four indicators for satisfaction and four indicators for behavioral intentions; as well as several sociodemographic variables that are used in the models (household location, gender, age, education, dependent members in the family and income). The study uses confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to identify the most important service quality attributes for the car users; structural equation modeling (SEM) for investigating the relationships among the three factors; and multi-group analysis (MGA) and a multiple-indicator and multiple-causes (MIMIC) approach to identify heterogeneity in the models because of geographical context or sociodemographic characteristics. Regular private vehicle users in both cities agree that punctuality, frequency, information and intermodality are among the five most important service quality attributes. Residents in Madrid also emphasize speed, while service hours would be a priority in Lisbon. The models for both cities agree on a complete mediator role of satisfaction between service quality and behavioral intentions. The MGA and MIMIC approaches show that the models do not present important differences tied to the sociodemographic characteristics, although differences are identified between Madrid and Lisbon. The MIMIC approach identified differences associated with city, household location and education for the pooled data; while household location, age and education were significant in Lisbon.Support from Spain´s Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Research Project TRA2015-66235-R) is gratefully acknowledged

In Search of Severity Dimensions of Traffic Conflicts for Different Simulated Mixed Fleets Involving Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

-is study aims to estimate the severity of con3icts that may arise from the introduction of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) by examining the vehicle paths generated by microsimulations of mixed 3eets of human-driven vehicles and CAVs with di9erent levels of automation (L1-L4 vehicles). -e study assesses the severity of con3icts using a holistic approach that considers three dimensions: (1) proximity to collision, via the time-to-collision (TTC) indicator; (2) potential consequences of a con3ict, via single surrogate safety measures such as maximum speed (MaxS) and vehicle speed di9erence (DeltaS); and (3) a combination of both dimensions to assign severity scores, via TTC and velocity vectors. -e study’s >ndings suggest that moderate penetration rates of L3 and L4 vehicles (35–55%) show signi>cant di9erences in the number of traAc con3icts with varying TTC values. Additionally, high penetration rates of L3 and L4 vehicles (above 55%) result in lower values of con3ict consequences measures such as MaxS and DeltaS. Furthermore, the study shows that con3ict consequences decrease if the follower is a L3 or L4 vehicle. -e study’s >ndings also reveal that there is a considerable reduction in high severity con3icts when the penetration rate of CAV levels reaches 50%, and the full operation of L4 vehicles results in a 75.5% reduction in high severity con3icts. -erefore, this study provides valuable insight into the potential severe con3icts during the transition period from manual vehicle operation to full CAV operation. Overall, the study’s >ndings highlight the importance of assessing the severity of potential con3icts arising from the introduction of CAVs. By considering the proximity to collision and the potential consequences of con3icts, the study provides a comprehensive assessment of the severity of con3icts. -is information can inform the development of policies and strategies to ensure the safe and responsible introduction of CAVs into our transportation systems.Spanish Government PID2019-110741RA-I00CRUE-CBUA Gol

How does private vehicle users perceive the public transport service quality in large metropolitan areas? A European comparison

Support from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Research Project TRA2015-66235-R) is gratefully acknowledged. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBUAMost studies on public transport service quality focus on the perspective of the public transport user, overlooking potential users, that is, private vehicle users. This paper explores the perception of private vehicle users about the quality of public transport. The objective is to identify the attributes that bear the greatest influence on the general satisfaction of the private vehicle user with respect to public transport in five major European cities: Berlin, Lisbon, London, Madrid and Rome. The analysis estimates the effect of 14 quality of service attributes on general satisfaction using Ordinal Logit Models (OLM), using data from an online survey sent to private vehicle users, with a similar sample size for each city (N > 500 per city). To analyse the heterogeneity of the perceptions, 20 models were calibrated: 15 models were calibrated controlling for location; and five models (one per city) were calibrated controlling for sociodemographic and mobility characteristics. Frequency, punctuality, intermodality, cost and cleanliness were identified as attributes exerting a significant effect on satisfaction in practically all the models, meaning they could be considered core attributes for private vehicle users. On a second level, a group of attributes were significant in a substantial number of models (service hours, proximity, speed, temperature and safety). Finally, the remaining attributes were only significant for specific cities or segments. The last two groups of attributes allowed to detect differences between cities and market segments.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness TRA2015-66235-

The role of involvement with public transport in the relationship between service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions

Several studies have made manifest that involvement with public transport play a key role in the intentions of its use. However, conflicting models exist in the literature about involvement’s role in the relationship between service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions or loyalty. Previous studies suggest all possible roles: antecedent, mediator, moderator and direct effects. A structural equation modeling approach is applied here to further understand the role of involvement with public transport, comparing eight alternative models and using data from a single survey carried out in five European cities (Madrid, Rome, Berlin, Lisbon and London). Later, the study uses a multiple indicators and multiple causes structural equation modeling approach (SEM-MIMIC) to analyze the effect of heterogeneity present in the data over the four constructs considered (service quality, satisfaction, involvement and behavioral intentions). This comprehensive methodological approach provides a number of noteworthy findings, including the empirical verification that satisfaction is a full mediator between service quality and involvement, and involvement is a full mediator between satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The results further suggest that involvement is the factor that contributes most to behavioral intentions or loyalty, followed by service quality perceptions and satisfaction. Lastly, this study demonstrates the relevance of controlling for heterogeneity in users’ perceptions, so as to obtain more robust relations among factors and identify significant differences among market segments, which could prove useful for public transport operators or policy makers.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Research Project TRA2015-66235- R

Traffic Safety Sensitivity Analysis of Parameters Used for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Calibration

Recently, the number of traffic safety studies involving connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) has been increasing. Due to the lack of information regarding the real behaviour of CAVs in mixed traffic flow, traffic simulation platforms are used to provide a reasonable approach for testing various scenarios and fleets. It is necessary to analyse how traffic safety is affected when key parameter assumptions are changed. The current study conducts a sensitivity analysis to identify the parameters used in CAV calibration that have the highest influence on traffic safety. Using a microsimulation-based surrogate safety assessment model approach (SSAM), traffic conflicts were identified, and a ceteris paribus analysis was conducted to measure the effect of gradually changing each parameter on the number of conflicts. Afterwards, a two-at-a-time sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the influence of simultaneously varying two parameters. The results revealed that reaction time, clearance, maximum acceleration, normal deceleration, and the sensitivity factor are key parameters. Studying these parameters two at a time revealed that low maximum acceleration, when combined with other parameters, consistently resulted in the highest number of conflicts, while combinations with short reaction time always yielded the best traffic safety results. This investigation broadens the understanding of CAV behaviour for future implementation for both manufacturers and researchers.Research Project PID2019-110741RA-I00, funded by the Spanish State Research Agency under Grant MCIN/AEI /10.13039/50110001103

UNDERSTANDING TRANSIT USERS IN ALGIERS: KEY QUALITY FACTORS AT THE RAILWAY SERVICES

[EN] Algerians citizens most often travel by foot on their daily trips because the lack of a homogeneous offer of public transit and intermodality throughout the city. Furthermore, the private vehicle is experiencing a notable increased use over the last few years. To curb this tendency, the government has launched a metro and a tramway system as key parts of a whole sustainable transport strategy. Guaranteeing the profitability of these modes of transport demands a high quality operation level focused on the users’ needs and requirements. While numerous studies have been carried out in developed countries for identifying the essential aspects of different transit modes, this area is still new in developing countries. Then, this paper aims to identify the key quality factors of the railway transit services in Algiers for advising transit authorities and managers towards the most appropriate policy measures. The railway transit services in Algiers consist on three modes of transport: the metro, the tramway (both started into operation in 2011), and a commuter rail system. A Principal Component Analysis combined with a regression model integrates the assessment approach. The results of this research highlight differences among the transit systems analyzed and provide useful insights for the Algiers government and transit authorities.Oña, RD.; Machado, JL.; Baouni, T.; Oña, JD. (2016). UNDERSTANDING TRANSIT USERS IN ALGIERS: KEY QUALITY FACTORS AT THE RAILWAY SERVICES. En XII Congreso de ingeniería del transporte. 7, 8 y 9 de Junio, Valencia (España). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 483-490. https://doi.org/10.4995/CIT2016.2015.4100OCS48349

Perceived service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions structural equation model for the Metro of Seville, Spain

This paper investigates the relationship between perceived service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions for Metro of Seville, Spain, a metropolitan, partially underground light rail transit (LRT) service. A total of 3,211 users participated in the case study by completing a questionnaire with four parts: users' attitudes about the public transit service, users' perceptions of service quality, travel habits, and socioeconomic characteristics of the participants. A seven-step analytic process was applied to the questionnaire instrument to adapt it to the specific characteristics of the service, to purify the scale, and to reduce the number of items describing the service into fewer underlying dimensions. Then, the above-mentioned relationships between perceptions, satisfaction, and intentions of users concerning the LRT service were estimated with the use of a structural equation model (SEM) approach. Three SEMs were calibrated: one for all the users, one for captive users, and one for noncaptive users of the service. The outcomes of the models provided interesting findings and identified some differences in the attitudes of these two groups of passengers toward the LRT service.FEDER of European Union for financial support via project “Mejora de la calidad del TP para fomenter la movilidad sostenible: Metro de Sevilla” of the “Programa Operativo FEDER de Andalucía 2007-2013

Extraction of attribute importance from satisfaction surveys with data mining techniques: a comparison between neural networks and decision trees

When a public transport manager conducts a customer satisfaction survey (CSS), the goal is to determine the overall satisfaction of passengers with the service, as well as their satisfaction with specific aspects (e.g., frequency, speed, and comfort). Another fundamental objective is to assess the importance to customers of each attribute individually. Asking directly about this importance involves a number of drawbacks; therefore, most studies extract this importance from surveys that ask questions only about global satisfaction and specific satisfaction regarding each attribute. This paper investigates the capability and performance of two emerging data mining methods, namely, decision trees and neural networks, for extracting the importance of attributes from CSS. A total of 858 surveys about the metropolitan bus service in Granada (Spain) were used to model estimation and evaluation. The main advantages and disadvantages of each method are studied from the standpoint of public transport managers.Junta de Andalucía (Spain) through Research Project P08-TEP-0381