A multivariate analysis of the quality of public transport services

The purpose of this study is to investigate what kind of observable and non-observable factors can influence passenger satisfaction on the quality of public transport services in a local context. Of course, these results can be used by the transport company in order to modify its business strategies and to improve its business performance. Relationships among latent dimensions (such as quality, satisfaction and loyalty) are first defined on the basis of a sample survey through suitable statistical measuring techniques (Factor Analysis with Categorical Principal Component Analysis). Then, multivariate methods of classification (Segmentation Analysis and Cluster Analysis), are used in order to explore the characteristics of the customers and their quality perception. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.