Modelling user perception of taxi service quality

Abstract This article presents a research study on modelling taxi user perceived quality. Following a thorough review of the available international literature, relevant variables are individualised using focus groups of taxi users, and a satisfaction survey is designed. The resulting data are used to estimate two types of ordered probit models, which consider systematic and random variations in taste: on the one hand, a model that provides attributes and their influence on the perceived quality of taxi service when no previous information about the system is available and, on the other hand, a model that considers their changed perception after being informed about the attributes that could affect the system's perceived quality. The results mention the attributes that the users normally value and those that they would value after being asked to reflect on them. It is worth noting that waiting time is the most important factor for frequent users, and journey time is highly valued by almost all users, along with safety, accessibility and comfort. Surprisingly, the fare is not usually as important as at the first thought. The results of this type of study are valuable because they allow us to understand and improve the system depending on user preferences, thereby improving the quality of services and increasing the demand.

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