Assessment of the Service Quality of Bus Rapid Transit Systems: A Case of Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (DART).

Kamya, George M. (2022) Assessment of the Service Quality of Bus Rapid Transit Systems: A Case of Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (DART). Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

The general objective of this study was to assess the service quality of DART based on passenger perception. The Specific objectives were to assess the level of Passenger Comfort, the level of Service Reliability, the level of Safety &Security, and to assess the level of Customer Relations in DART. The problem, which prompted the study is low ridership which is caused by perceived unsatisfactory Service Quality. The data collection method employed was the questionnaire through which commuters were asked to respond to 16 Likert-type questions while waiting for buses at BRT stations. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0. The sample used was 413 commuters out of 170 000 commuters per day. The analytical method used was descriptive method in which the chi-square test for independence was used to establish the relationship between the categorical variables. The main finding of the study is that generally DART commuters are satisfied with the service quality offered by DART despite the fact that the mean score was at the bottom of the range. Specifically, respondents were found to be least satisfied with Bus Crowding, Dissemination of Information, and Adherence to Bus Schedules. Respondents were found to be most satisfied with staff appearance. Travel Time Saving, and Cleanliness in Buses and Stations. The study concludes that despite the fact that DART commuters were found to be marginally satisfied with the QOS offered by DART, authorities need to do more to improve the QOS especially in areas of vehicle crowding, bus scheduling and dissemination of information. The study recommends that UDART should take the necessary action to acquire more large-capacity buses, which will solve the twin issues of bus/station crowding and bus delays. Further, the study recommends that DART should install/repair PAS at stations and in buses in order to improve the dissemination of information to commuters. Keywords: Bus Rapid Transit, Quality of Service, Headway, Dwell Time, Load Factor, Ridership.

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