Public Transport Usage and Perceived Service Quality in a Large Metropolitan Area: The Case of Porto

Abstract

Using public transport as an alternative to private motorized vehicles (PMVs) is becoming increasingly popular in many cities worldwide. To understand what incentives and enhancements are necessary to attract and retain more passengers, a comprehensive understanding of the quality of public transport services is essential. This study aims to broaden the existing literature on the knowledge of public transport services in a large, heterogeneous metropolitan area. A cross-examination between a binary and an ordinal logit model is proposed, using data from a mobility survey in the Porto Metropolitan Area (PMA) in Portugal. The results show that households use PMVs mainly for speed (58.8%), comfort (49.3%), and lack of public transport to the destination (35.7%). Households using public transport cite not driving/owning a PMV (52.6%), lack of alternative transport modes (49.1%), and service cost (38.2%) as primary reasons. The perceived service quality (PSQ) within the PMA exhibits variance on multiple levels, depending on the characteristics of the household and the municipality’s location. This study provides policymakers of different cities in the PMA with insight into what incentives would most effectively increase the PSQ and, in turn, attract more passengers. This insight would be valuable in developing strategies to improve public transport usage and reduce PMV usage in the PMA. Adopting these strategies will contribute to reducing environmental impact and reducing traffic congestion.