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Kimberly Nicholas

Kimberly Nicholas

Professor

Kimberly Nicholas

Traveler perceived service quality and satisfaction with public transport : The influence of digital competence and environmental attitudes

Author

  • Jonas Nilsson
  • Johan Jansson
  • Kimberly Nicholas
  • Chunli Zhao

Summary, in English

As public transport is becoming more reliant on digitalizing services, by for example using apps to sell tickets and provide information, it is important for policy to study how this influences customer perceived service quality and satisfaction. In addition, as public transport is viewed as a more environmentally benign form of transportation it also becomes important to monitor how environmental attitudes influence traveler satisfaction. Using the theoretical underpinnings of utilitarian and experience quality we surveyed 4200 public transport travelers in Sweden focusing on digital competence and environmental attitudes. Using structural equation modelling we find that both digital competence and environmental attitudes influence perceived quality and customer satisfaction so that travelers who 1) are able to deal with digital tools like smart-phone applications in public transport, and 2) have strong environmental attitudes, perceive the quality of the public transport service to be better. We suggest that policymakers could increase public transport ridership and quality perceptions by more clearly communicating the environmental benefits of public transport and educate travelers on the digital tools they provide to help provide their services.

Department/s

  • LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
  • K2: National knowledge centre for collective mobility
  • Transport Planning and Mobility
  • Transport and Roads

Publishing year

2025-10

Language

English

Publication/Series

Transport Policy

Volume

172

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Transport Systems and Logistics
  • Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

Keywords

  • Consumer satisfaction
  • Digital competence
  • Environmental attitudes
  • Experience quality
  • Public transport
  • Utilitarian quality

Status

Published

Research group

  • Transport Planning and Mobility

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0967-070X