Determinants of passengers' dissatisfaction regarding disrupted train service

Abstract

This research employed an extended hypothetical model that included the cognitions of attribution and importance from Oliver's (1980) expectancy-disconfirmation model. The model examined factors which might mitigate the experiences of dissatisfied passengers who encountered the types of service disruption that occur frequently on city train routes. A covariance structural analysis model was applied to questionnaire data obtained from 5 383 railroad users who encountered problems. The passengers' degree of discontent was most strongly influenced by their evaluation of the responsibility attributed by the railroad company. The strong influence of the passengers' impression of the impropriety of the railroad company's announcements regarding the train service make it imperative for the railroad company to take strong corrective action. The passengers' dissatisfaction will decrease greatly when there are appropriate announcements, in addition to the alleviation of discrepancies related to time, confusion, and changes.