Examining public perceptions of sustainable transportation indicators in Thimphu, Bhutan

Abstract

This study aims to understand the public perception of sustainable transport indicators in Thimphu city, Bhutan. By conducting a questionnaire survey to the users of transport facilities and from interviews and discussions with experts in the transport policy, the study examines the most dissatisfied and important indicator by ranking indicators. An analysis was also done to identify the indicators that the users are least satisfied with but are an important component of sustainable transportation, also known as disgruntlement. The finding shows that the users are most disgruntled with the accessibility for the mobility impaired, elderly and children. A customer satisfaction index called the Heterogeneous Customer Satisfaction Index (HCSI), which is based on the users' perception for analyzing the quality of transit services, was examined. Further, One-way ANOVA and independent sample T-test were carried out to analyze the variation in perception among different socio-demographic groups. The study found that slightly more than half of respondents were not happy with the current transportation facilities, with more significant differences from the satisfaction rating observed between respondents from diverse socio-demographic factors.