Methodology for a Study of the Perceived Quality of Public Transport in Santander

This article will primarily deal with improving the quality of a public transport system through the study of the main variables that influence the perceived quality by users, in other words a methodology for modeling the quality of bus services in the Spanish city of Santander, supported by user perception data.The models calibrated to study the quality of public transport perceived by users are firstly obtained by estimating all the different service attributes, considering mean users’ perceptions through an Ordered Probit model, and then studying random variations in users’ tastes, applying an Ordered Probit model with random parameters. The models represent the process of quality evaluation based on a limited group of predefined variables. The choice of these variables is important because they are used to explain the selection process to be modeled. The collected data are analyzed and modeled to check the validity of the different variables. Main results suggest consumers would be willing to pay a higher price for improved transport connection networks including the supply of clearer information and the attention to consumer's complaints. Ticket price is also an important attribute mainly for frequent bus users.