Assessing bus user’s perception using structural equation modelling

This paper evaluates the user's perceived quality of the service of a city bus and bus rapid transit (BRT) provided in the study areas of Navi Mumbai and Surat, India. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used to identify the significant variables and quantify the effect of those variables on overall satisfaction. The models were validated using validation indices such as Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Normed Fit Index (NFI), Goodness of Fit Index (GFI), and Cronbach's alpha which are generally adopted for testing SEM models. Predicted models were observed to represent the actual data to a good extent. It was observed that users consider bus stop waiting time, bus on-time performance, and in-vehicle travel time as most important and riding comfort, safety, and end-to-end connectivity as relatively less important. The outputs provide policymakers with an understanding of the user's perception of the overall service quality of the transit system.