Sarder Rafee Musabbir

Bus service quality prediction and attribute ranking: a neural network approach

Evaluation of service quality (SQ) based on user preferences has become a primary concern for the transportation authorities. The most significant attributes of public transportation systems are revealed through service quality analysis. This information serves as valuable input in constantly updating the quality of public transportation services. An appropriate tool is therefore mandatory in this regard. This paper represents a comparative study on the bus SQ prediction capabilities of three effective Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approaches, namely: Generalized Regression Neural Network (GRNN), Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) and Pattern Recognition Neural Network (PRNN). To calibrate the parameters of the developed ANN models, data on users’ perception toward bus services of Dhaka city, Bangladesh, have been used. Taking the public opinion as baseline, GRNN and PNN have proven to be better prediction models since both have achieved higher accuracy compared to PRNN. Among 22 selected SQ attributes, the most significant attributes have been ranked according to their influence on the users’ decision making process. According to the GRNN and PNN models, punctuality and reliability, service frequency, seat availability and commuting experience are found to be the most significant attributes, which support the user-stated preferences.

Structural equation modeling of user satisfaction of bus transit service quality based on stated preferences and latent variables

ABSTRACT Few studies have been conducted on the service quality (SQ) of bus transit in developing countries. This paper presents a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to identifying the relationships among major attributes that affect the SQ of bus transit in the city of Dhaka in Bangladesh. Specifically, 22 bus transit SQ attributes, drawn from 655 questionnaires, are used to develop different SEM models for the city. Along with stated preferences, the effect of three latent variables on SQ is analyzed. Among the developed models, the best model is selected by using different statistical approaches. With the best model, selected attributes are rated according to their relative importance on SQ. Acknowledging limited resources of a developing nation, this study gives a clear way ahead to planners, operating companies and transport managers to design appropriate transport policies which will ensure more effective services to current bus users as well as attracting new passengers.

Determining the Most Suitable Pedestrian Level of Service Method for Dhaka City, Bangladesh, Through a Synthesis of Measurements

In this paper, five pedestrian level of service (PLOS) methods are outlined in brief with respect to their assets and their limitations: (a) the Australian method, (b) the Highway Capacity Manual 2010 method, (c) the trip quality method, (d) the Landis method, and (e) the Tan Dandan method. In this study, each method was implemented to consider its suitability for use in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, through the integration of objective measurement and subjective assessment. The objective measurement consisted of a determination of the PLOS of five study locations in Dhaka City and the adoption of field data on traffic, geometric, and environmental factors. The subjective assessment had its basis in a user perception rating by 50 individuals of the service quality of pedestrian facilities in the selected study areas. A separate survey of 415 individuals was conducted to identify the most favored of 25 service quality attributes extracted from the five PLOS methods. The perception ratings were scrutinized to identify any potential deviations that arose from participant age and gender. In the ratings, the Australian method prevailed over the other four methods with a score of 18. The trip quality method scored second best with 16 points. The separate survey substantiated the adequacy of the Australian method for use in Dhaka City and included seven of the eight most desired and popular PLOS attributes selected by the survey respondents. Future research should be devoted to the development of a new PLOS method that uses the factors identified in this paper.