Multiple Criteria Evaluation of Trams based on Customers’ Specifications (Expectations) in Selected Countries

Abstract The paper presents a Multiple Criteria Analysis (MCA) of trams, based on customers’ specifications and open bid regulations in different countries, such as: Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Turkey. We investigate the costumers’ specifications concerning trams and we try to respond whether they can be applied in a universal assessment procedure for trams to be used in urban, public transportation systems, based on the principles of Multiple Criteria Decision Making/ Aiding (MCDM/A). The analysis of trams is formulated as a multiple criteria ranking problem. The proposed paradigm includes: the definition of the group decision maker – DM and stakeholders, selection of variants (trams), formulation of the consistent family of criteria, recognition and modeling of the DM and stakeholders’ interests/ preferences, performance of the computational experiments, generation of the ranking of trams. We perform a series of computational experiments with an application of selected multiple criteria ranking methods (ELECTRE III/IV, AHP). The generated rankings result in a comprehensive analysis of the quality of trams in different countries and the suitability of selected MCDM/A methods for the evaluation of trams.