Customers' Satisfaction and Intentions with Public Transportation in Faisalabad, Pakistan: Implications for a Bus Rapid Transit Service

The public transport system in Faisalabad is underdeveloped and inefficient to meet the travel demands of the people. It mainly consists of a multitude of Para-transit modes such as auto-rickshaws, Qingqi (motorcycle rickshaws), and wagons, etc. These modes do not meet the mobility needs of the low-income group or captive riders. This research tends to assess customers' satisfaction with the current public transport system and their preferences towards the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Faisalabad. A questionnaire was designed in this study to gather travelers' perceptions about public transport in Faisalabad. The questionnaire consisted of personal and travel information of the travelers, satisfaction with service quality attributes, important attributes in traveling, and behavioral intentions with the BRT service. This survey was conducted physically and a total of 225 samples were collected. Results showed that the customers' satisfaction level with existing public transport modes is quite low. Most of the respondents showed positive intent to use the BRT service as they perceived it as a safe, comfortable, convenient, and economical mode of transport. Results revealed that most travelers want to shift to an improved transportation system. Results of factor analysis and structural equation modeling revealed that low satisfaction with transit modes has a negative impact on customers' behavioral intentions. Most of the respondents said that cost, travel time, air conditioning, travel time reliability, comfort, and ability to make stops on the way are very important attributes of the BRT service. Most of the users believed that it will reduce air pollution, provide better accessibility, and would be safe for female travelers. Also, customers' perceived level of importance significantly and positively influences their intentions towards BRT service. This study recommends the provision of a BRT-like bus transport service in Faisalabad to meet the mobility needs of the masses.