Assessing bus users satisfaction using discrete choice models: a case of Bhopal

The bus transportation system in Bhopal is ineffective, unreliable, and inefficient, struggling to meet the daily transportation needs of its large population. Thus, evaluating the quality of bus service from the perspective of customers is crucial for planning a sustainable transportation system and formulating relevant policies and regulations. While there have been studies on public transportation systems in India, little attention has been paid to how different attributes of service quality influence passenger satisfaction. This study aims to explore the interdependance between bus service quality and its determinants in Bhopal. Through a customer satisfaction survey involving 1313 respondents based on Cochran's formula, discrete choice models like multinomial logit and mixed logit were developed. Results show widespread dissatisfaction among residents with their bus services, with less than 10% rating service quality as excellent or Very Satisfied. Factors such as users’ comfort level and safety emerged as the primary contributors to this dissatisfaction. Other significant factors include ontime, driver skills, boarding and alighting processes, waiting time, and vehicle condition. Interestingly, the multinomial logit model showed better fit for the sample data compared to the mixed logit model, suggesting that bus users in Bhopal may form a relatively homogeneous group with access to alternative modes of transportation. These findings can inform the development of policies and regulations aimed at enhancing bus transportation in Bhopal.