The combination of a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process and the Taguchi method to evaluate the Malaysian users'willingness to pay for public transportation

Abstract

This study is an attempt to overcome the lack of reliable estimates on the willingness of Malaysian users to pay for public transportation (particularly buses) through a combined analysis of a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (F-AHP) and the Taguchi method. This is a ground-breaking study in the attempt to evaluate the bus users' satisfaction factors based on the F-AHP, and find the pattern for the users' willingness to pay (WTP) characteristic by reducing the travel time with the Taguchi application. The data were collected from the public transportation users' intentions in Kelang Valley, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The results convinced us that, for complex data, one requires flexible approaches that can adjust their combination methods to the properties of analyzed datasets. This study is interested in initiating the use of a system combination strategy to have a better understanding of the factors that motivate the public transportation users to be willing to pay for the public transportation's fare.