IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i10p4259-d361653.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Methodologies for Determining the Service Quality of the Intercity Rail Service Based on Users’ Perceptions and Expectations in Thailand

Author

Listed:
  • Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao

    (School of Transportation Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand)

  • Thanapong Champahom

    (School of Transportation Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand)

  • Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha

    (School of Transportation Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand)

Abstract

There is a significant need to change people’s travel mode from personal cars to public rail, because rail transport is a more environmentally friendly travel mode. Over the past decade, the number of rail passengers has reduced because of service quality problems. Thus, this study aims to propose guidelines for precise service quality (SQ) improvements of intercity rail services in Thailand. Data were collected from 615 train passengers by distributing questionnaires at train stations in six provinces, covering all regions of Thailand. Cluster analysis (CA), factor analysis (FA), and importance-performance analysis (IPA) were applied in this research, which were used based on gap analysis. As a result of CA and FA, the 45 quality indicators were grouped into four factors, namely, vehicles, staff, services, and infrastructures/stations. The FA results seem more appropriate than those of CA in terms of providing factor loadings that indicate the importance of each indicator. The results of IPA show that the seven indicators that were analyzed fell into the “concentrate here” quadrant. To summarize the current policy, the factor most in need of rapid improvement in order to increase the quality of the intercity rail service in Thailand is that of the train car variables group; on the other hand, the main strength of the current services relates to the services provided by staff.

Suggested Citation

  • Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao & Thanapong Champahom & Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha, 2020. "Methodologies for Determining the Service Quality of the Intercity Rail Service Based on Users’ Perceptions and Expectations in Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4259-:d:361653
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/4259/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/4259/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ratanavaraha, Vatanavongs & Jomnonkwao, Sajjakaj, 2014. "Model of users׳ expectations of drivers of sightseeing buses: confirmatory factor analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 253-262.
    2. Wall, Graham & McDonald, Mike, 2007. "Improving bus service quality and information in Winchester," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 165-179, March.
    3. Weibin Lin & Bin Chen & Lina Xie & Haoran Pan, 2015. "Estimating Energy Consumption of Transport Modes in China Using DEA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Eboli, Laura & Forciniti, Carmen & Mazzulla, Gabriella, 2018. "Spatial variation of the perceived transit service quality at rail stations," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 67-83.
    5. van Lierop, Dea & El-Geneidy, Ahmed, 2016. "Enjoying loyalty: The relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in public transit," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 50-59.
    6. Cabral, Alexandra Maria Rios & Ramos, Francisco de Sousa, 2014. "Cluster analysis of the competitiveness of container ports in Brazil," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 423-431.
    7. Shen, Weiwei & Xiao, Weizhou & Wang, Xin, 2016. "Passenger satisfaction evaluation model for Urban rail transit: A structural equation modeling based on partial least squares," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 20-31.
    8. Feng Chen & Xiaopeng Shen & Zijia Wang & Yang Yang, 2017. "An Evaluation of the Low-Carbon Effects of Urban Rail Based on Mode Shifts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-12, March.
    9. Lecturer Ilie Mihai Taucean & Ana Gabriela Strauti & Matei Tamasila & Serban Miclea, 2017. "Assessing Expectation and Perception of Service Quality. Case Study of a Romanian University," Management Challenges in a Network Economy: Proceedings of the MakeLearn and TIIM International Conference 2017,, ToKnowPress.
    10. Zhang, Chunqin & Liu, Yong & Lu, Weite & Xiao, Guangnian, 2019. "Evaluating passenger satisfaction index based on PLS-SEM model: Evidence from Chinese public transport service," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 149-164.
    11. Lucian-Ionel Cioca & Larisa Ivascu, 2017. "Risk Indicators and Road Accident Analysis for the Period 2012–2016," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-15, August.
    12. Jomnonkwao, Sajjakaj & Ratanavaraha, Vatanavongs, 2016. "Measurement modelling of the perceived service quality of a sightseeing bus service: An application of hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 240-252.
    13. Hernandez, Sara & Monzon, Andres & de Oña, Rocío, 2016. "Urban transport interchanges: A methodology for evaluating perceived quality," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 31-43.
    14. Freitas, André Luís Policani, 2013. "Assessing the quality of intercity road transportation of passengers: An exploratory study in Brazil," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 379-392.
    15. Alpu, Ozlem, 2015. "A methodology for evaluating satisfaction with high-speed train services: A case study in Turkey," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 151-157.
    16. Soza-Parra, Jaime & Raveau, Sebastián & Muñoz, Juan Carlos & Cats, Oded, 2019. "The underlying effect of public transport reliability on users’ satisfaction," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 83-93.
    17. de Oña, Juan & de Oña, Rocío & Eboli, Laura & Mazzulla, Gabriella, 2013. "Perceived service quality in bus transit service: A structural equation approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 219-226.
    18. Ratanavaraha, Vatanavongs & Jomnonkwao, Sajjakaj & Khampirat, Buratin & Watthanaklang, Duangdao & Iamtrakul, Pawinee, 2016. "The complex relationship between school policy, service quality, satisfaction, and loyalty for educational tour bus services: A multilevel modeling approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 116-126.
    19. Aydin, Nezir & Celik, Erkan & Gumus, Alev Taskin, 2015. "A hierarchical customer satisfaction framework for evaluating rail transit systems of Istanbul," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 61-81.
    20. de Oña, Juan & de Oña, Rocío & Eboli, Laura & Mazzulla, Gabriella, 2016. "Index numbers for monitoring transit service quality," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 18-30.
    21. Sun, Shichao & Duan, Zhengyu, 2019. "Modeling passengers’ loyalty to public transit in a two-dimensional framework: A case study in Xiamen, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 295-309.
    22. Pan, Frank C., 2015. "Practical application of importance-performance analysis in determining critical job satisfaction factors of a tourist hotel," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 84-91.
    23. Watthanaklang, Duangdao & Ratanavaraha, Vatanavongs & Chatpattananan, Vuttichai & Jomnonkwao, Sajjakaj, 2016. "Measuring the motivation to ride bicycles for tourism through a comparison of tourist attractions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 153-163.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jaime Larumbe, 2021. "Evaluating Sustainability of Mass Rapid Transit Stations in Dubai," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Mohd Haniff Osman & Faridah Hanim Khairuddin & Nur Mustakiza Zakaria, 2022. "An Empirical Study of Passengers’ Perceived Satisfaction with Monorail Service Quality: Case of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Mohd Haniff Osman & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Munzilah Md. Rohani, 2022. "The Influence of Service Quality on User’s Perceived Satisfaction with Light Rail Transit Service in Klang Valley, Malaysia," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(13), pages 1-21, June.
    4. Joaquin Haces-Garcia & Arturo Haces-Garcia & Francisco Haces-Garcia & Francisco Haces-Fernandez, 2021. "Advanced Warning System to Improve Safety at Train Grade Crossings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Anna Dolinayova & Vladislav Zitricky & Lenka Cerna, 2020. "Decision-Making Process in the Case of Insufficient Rail Capacity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-21, June.
    6. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Nur Izzi Md. Yusoff & Amiruddin Ismail & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Nor Aznirahani Mhd Yunin & Sotaro Yukawa, 2021. "Gender and Age Do Matter: Exploring the Effect of Passengers’ Gender and Age on the Perception of Light Rail Transit Service Quality in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, January.
    7. Karzan Ismael & Szabolcs Duleba, 2021. "Investigation of the Relationship between the Perceived Public Transport Service Quality and Satisfaction: A PLS-SEM Technique," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.
    8. Methawadee Chaisomboon & Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao & Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha, 2020. "Elderly Users’ Satisfaction with Public Transport in Thailand Using Different Importance Performance Analysis Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mandhani, Jyoti & Nayak, Jogendra Kumar & Parida, Manoranjan, 2020. "Interrelationships among service quality factors of Metro Rail Transit System: An integrated Bayesian networks and PLS-SEM approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 320-336.
    2. Sun, Shichao & Zhang, Hui & Zhou, Linlin & Wang, Ke, 2023. "Is the relationship between the perceived service quality and passenger loyalty linear or non-linear? A novel model-independent interpretation method is applied," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 65-79.
    3. Sun, Shichao & Xu, Lingyu & Yao, Yukun & Duan, Zhengyu, 2021. "Investigating the determinants to retain spurious-loyalty passengers: A data-fusion based approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 70-83.
    4. Weiya Chen & Zixuan Kang & Xiaoping Fang & Jiajia Li, 2020. "Design a Semantic Scale for Passenger Perceived Quality Surveys of Urban Rail Transit: Within Attribute’s Service Condition and Rider’s Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Esmailpour, Javad & Aghabayk, Kayvan & Aghajanzadeh, Mohammad & De Gruyter, Chris, 2022. "Has COVID-19 changed our loyalty towards public transport? Understanding the moderating role of the pandemic in the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 80-103.
    6. Esmailpour, Javad & Aghabayk, Kayvan & Abrari Vajari, Mohammad & De Gruyter, Chris, 2020. "Importance – Performance Analysis (IPA) of bus service attributes: A case study in a developing country," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 129-150.
    7. Guirao, Begoña & García-Pastor, Antonio & López-Lambas, María Eugenia, 2016. "The importance of service quality attributes in public transportation: Narrowing the gap between scientific research and practitioners' needs," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 68-77.
    8. Ganji, S.S. & Ahangar, A.N. & Awasthi, Anjali & Jamshidi Bandari, Smaneh, 2021. "Psychological analysis of intercity bus passenger satisfaction using Q methodology," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 345-363.
    9. Chee, Pei Nen Esther & Susilo, Yusak O. & Wong, Yiik Diew, 2020. "Determinants of intention-to-use first-/last-mile automated bus service," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 350-375.
    10. Sun, Shichao & Duan, Zhengyu, 2019. "Modeling passengers’ loyalty to public transit in a two-dimensional framework: A case study in Xiamen, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 295-309.
    11. Rong, Rui & Liu, Lishan & Jia, Ning & Ma, Shoufeng, 2022. "Impact analysis of actual traveling performance on bus passenger’s perception and satisfaction," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 80-100.
    12. Chunqin Zhang & Daoyou Wang & Anning Ni & Xunyou Ni & Guangnian Xiao, 2019. "Different Effects of Contractual Form on Public Transport Satisfaction: Evidence from Large- and Medium-Sized Cities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-21, October.
    13. Diep Ngoc Su & Duy Quy Nguyen-Phuoc & Lester W. Johnson, 2021. "Effects of perceived safety, involvement and perceived service quality on loyalty intention among ride-sourcing passengers," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 369-393, February.
    14. Nattiya Wonglakorn & Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha & Ampol Karoonsoontawong & Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao, 2021. "Exploring Passenger Loyalty and Related Factors for Urban Railways in Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, May.
    15. Caiyun Cui & Meng Liu & Yong Liu & Bo Xia & Martin Skitmore & Guobo Han, 2021. "The Influence of Passengers’ Perceived Social Responsibility Efforts on Their Satisfaction in Public-Private-Partnership Urban Rail Transit Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-16, November.
    16. Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao & Chinnakrit Banyong & Supanida Nanthawong & Thananya Janhuaton & Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha & Thanapong Champahom & Pornsiri Jongkol, 2022. "Perceptions of Parents of the Quality of the Public Transport Services Used by Children to Commute to School," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-20, October.
    17. Ingvardson, Jesper Bláfoss & Nielsen, Otto Anker, 2019. "The relationship between norms, satisfaction and public transport use: A comparison across six European cities using structural equation modelling," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 37-57.
    18. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Nur Izzi Md. Yusoff & Amiruddin Ismail & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Nor Aznirahani Mhd Yunin & Sotaro Yukawa, 2021. "Gender and Age Do Matter: Exploring the Effect of Passengers’ Gender and Age on the Perception of Light Rail Transit Service Quality in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, January.
    19. Weng, JianCheng & Yu, JiangBo & Di, XiaoJian & Lin, PengFei & Wang, Jing-Jing & Mao, Li-Zeng, 2023. "How does the state of bus operations influence passengers’ service satisfaction? A method considering the differences in passenger preferences," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    20. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Mohd Haniff Osman & Faridah Hanim Khairuddin & Nur Mustakiza Zakaria, 2022. "An Empirical Study of Passengers’ Perceived Satisfaction with Monorail Service Quality: Case of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4259-:d:361653. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.