Public Transport Services and Its Interplay with Users Subjective Well Being (Case Study: Palembang City)

Authors

  • M Fairuz Tsany School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development (SAPPK), Bandung Institute of Technology
  • Revasari Puspita Basrum School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development (SAPPK), Bandung Institute of Technology
  • Muhammad Yusrizal Azhar School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development (SAPPK), Bandung Institute of Technology
  • Fachrully Ichsan Sumatera Institute of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30659/jpsa.v22i2.44140

Abstract

Cities in Indonesia continue to grow alongside increasing urban populations and urbanisation. A city is considered metropolitan if it has a population of over one million and its economy is dominated by mixed activities such as industry, trade, and services. The development of Palembang into one of Indonesia's metropolitan cities is driven by significant population growth, urbanisation, and the expansion of industrial centres. This growth has led to urban challenges, including a rise in motorised vehicles, resulting in traffic congestion. Residents of Palembang rely on transportation to reach their daily activities, with one of the primary modes being the BRT Transmusi. Theoretically, since commuting is a daily activity, subjective well-being (SWB) is linked to the quality of the transportation mode used daily. User satisfaction is generally influenced by their experience with public transportation. Understanding the interplay between service quality and SWB is important for improving community quality of life. This study examines the interplay between public transport service quality attributes and Transmusi BRT users' SWB. The interplay is measured using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with 4 variables and 23 indicators tested. A sample of 384 respondents was used. The findings reveal that bus physical conditions, driver service quality, and service provider empathy significantly positively influence user satisfaction. Furthermore, user satisfaction positively impacts life satisfaction. Public transport service quality attributes also indirectly and significantly affect the life satisfaction of BRT Transmusi users. These findings provide comprehensive insights that can be utilised to enhance public transport services in Palembang.

References

Agustien, M (2020). Assessment of Urban Mobility using the Sustainable Urban Transport Index-Palembang City, INDONESIA.

Bokhari, A., & Sharifi, F. (2022). Public transport and subjective well-being in the just city: A scoping review. Journal of Transport & Health, 25, 101372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101372

Chatterjee, K., Chng, S., Clark, B., Davis, A., De Vos, J., Ettema, D., Handy, S., Martin, A., & Reardon, L. (2020). Commuting and wellbeing: a critical overview of the literature with implications for policy and future research. Transport Reviews, 40(1), 5–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2019.1649317

Choi, J., Coughlin, J. F., & D’Ambrosio, L. (2013). Travel Time and Subjective Well-Being. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2357(1), 100–108. https://doi.org/10.3141/2357-12

Clark, B., Chatterjee, K., Martin, A., & Davis, A. (2020). How commuting affects subjective wellbeing. Transportation, 47(6), 2777–2805. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-019-09983-9

De Vos, J. (2019). Analysing the effect of trip satisfaction on satisfaction with the leisure activity at the destination of the trip, in relationship with life satisfaction. Transportation, 46(3), 623–645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-017-9812-0

De Vos, J., & Witlox, F. (2017). Travel satisfaction revisited. On the pivotal role of travel satisfaction in conceptualising a travel behaviour process. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 106, 364–373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2017.10.009

Delbosc, A., & Currie, G. (2011). Exploring the relative influences of transport disadvantage and social exclusion on well-being. Transport Policy, 18(4), 555–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2011.01.011

DeVellis, R. F. (2017). Scale Development: Theory and Applications (Fourth Edition). Sage.

Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.34

Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsem, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13

Ettema, D., Gärling, T., Eriksson, L., Friman, M., Olsson, L. E., & Fujii, S. (2011). Satisfaction with travel and subjective well-being: Development and test of a measurement tool. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 14(3), 167–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2010.11.002

Ettema, D., Gärling, T., Olsson, L. E., & Friman, M. (2010). Out-of-home activities, daily travel, and subjective well-being. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 44(9), 723–732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2010.07.005

Feng, Z., & Boyle, P. (2014). Do Long Journeys to Work Have Adverse Effects on Mental Health? Environment and Behavior, 46(5), 609–625. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916512472053

Friman, M., Edvardsson, B., & Giirling, T. (2022). Perceived Service Quality Attributes in Public Transport: Inferences from Complaints and Negative Critical Incidents.

Friman, M., Gärling, T., Ettema, D., & Olsson, L. E. (2017). How does travel affect emotional well-being and life satisfaction? Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 106, 170–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2017.09.024

Gimenez-Nadal, J. I., Molina, J. A., & Velilla, J. (2022). Commuting time and sickness absence of US workers. Empirica, 49(3), 691–719. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10663-022-09534-z

Hensher, D. A., Stopher, P., & Bullock, P. (2003). Service quality - developing a service quality index in the provision of commercial bus contracts. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 37(6), 499–517. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0965-8564(02)00075-7

Hirte, G., & Illmann, U. (2019). Household decision making on commuting and the commuting paradox. Empirica, 46(1), 63–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10663-018-9426-6

Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structure modeling: Sensitivity to underparameterized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3(4), 424–453. https://doi.org/10.1037/1082-989X.3.4.424

Imelda, Yunisvita, Soebyakto, B. B., & Apriani, D. (2020). Does Palembang City’s Population Growth Affect Optimal City Size: Minimum Cost and Maximum Net Benefit Approach? 142.

Ingenfeld, J., Wolbring, T., & Bless, H. (2019). Commuting and Life Satisfaction Revisited: Evidence on a Non-linear Relationship. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(8), 2677–2709. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0064-2

Issac, S., & W.B Michael. (1981). Handbook in Research and Evaluation for Educational and the Behavioral Sciences. EdITS Publisher.

Jacob, N., Munford, L., Rice, N., & Roberts, J. (2019). The disutility of commuting? The effect of gender and local labor markets. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 77, 264–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2019.06.001

Johnson, M. D., Gustafsson, A., Andreassen, W., Lervik, L., & Cha, J. (2001). The evolution and future of national customer satisfaction index models. In Journal of Economic Psychology (Vol. 22). www.elsevier.com/locate/joep

Jomnonkwao, S., & Ratanavaraha, V. (2016). Measurement modelling of the perceived service quality of a sightseeing bus service: An application of hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis. Transport Policy, 45, 240–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2015.04.001

Li, L., Bai, Y., Song, Z., Chen, A., & Wu, B. (2018). Public transportation competitiveness analysis based on current passenger loyalty. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 113, 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2018.04.016

Lorenz, O. (2018). Does commuting matter to subjective well-being? Journal of Transport Geography, 66, 180–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2017.11.019

Lucas, K. (2012). Transport and social exclusion: Where are we now? Transport Policy, 20, 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2012.01.013

Milner, A., Badland, H., Kavanagh, A., & LaMontagne, A. D. (2017). Time Spent Commuting to Work and Mental Health: Evidence From 13 Waves of an Australian Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 186(6), 659–667. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kww243

Mogaji, E., & Nguyen, N. P. (2021). Transportation satisfaction of disabled passengers: Evidence from a developing country. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 98, 102982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.102982

Mokhtarian, P. L. (2019). Subjective well-being and travel: retrospect and prospect. Transportation, 46(2), 493–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-018-9935-y

Monte, F., Redding, S. J., & Rossi-Hansberg, E. (2018). Commuting, Migration, and Local Employment Elasticities. American Economic Review, 108(12), 3855–3890. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20151507

Morton, C., Caulfield, B., & Anable, J. (2016). Customer perceptions of quality of service in public transport: Evidence for bus transit in Scotland. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 4(3), 199–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2016.03.002

Munim, Z. H., & Noor, T. (2020). Young people’s perceived service quality and environmental performance of hybrid electric bus service. Travel Behaviour and Society, 20, 133–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2020.03.003

Nie, P., & Sousa-Poza, A. (2018). Commute time and subjective well-being in urban China. China Economic Review, 48, 188–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2016.03.002

OECD. (2011). How’s Life? OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264121164-en

OECD. (2013). OECD Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-being. OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264191655-en

OECD. (2016). Time spent travelling to and from work.

Oliver, R. L. (1980). A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 460–469. https://doi.org/10.2307/3150499

Olsson, L. E., Gärling, T., Ettema, D., Friman, M., & Fujii, S. (2013). Happiness and Satisfaction with Work Commute. Social Indicators Research, 111(1), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0003-2

Parasuraman, A. P., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-Item Scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality Cloud-based Business Process Management View project Customer Portfolio Analysis View project. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225083802

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251430

Qiu, G., Song, R., & He, S. (2019). The aggravation of urban air quality deterioration due to urbanization, transportation and economic development – Panel models with marginal effect analyses across China. Science of The Total Environment, 651, 1114–1125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.219

Sam, E. F., Hamidu, O., & Daniels, S. (2018). SERVQUAL analysis of public bus transport services in Kumasi metropolis, Ghana: Core user perspectives. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 6(1), 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2017.12.004

Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Hair, J. F. (2017). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (Issue September). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05542-8

Shiftan, Y., Barlach, Y., & Shefer, D. (2015). Measuring Passenger Loyalty to Public Transport Modes. Journal of Public Transportation, 18(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5038/2375-0901.18.1.7

St-Louis, E., Manaugh, K., Van Lierop, D., Student, P., & El-Geneidy, A. (2014). The happy commuter: A comparison of commuter satisfaction across modes. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 514–398.

Sugiyono. (2016). Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif, Kualitatif dan R&D. PT Alfabet.

Sun, S., Yao, Y., Xu, L., He, X., & Duan, Z. (2022). The use of E-moped increases commute satisfaction and subjective well-being: Evidence from Shanghai, China. Transport Policy, 117, 60–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2022.01.010

Tinkler, L., & Hicks, S. (2011). Measuring subjective well-being.

Tiznado-Aitken, I., Muñoz, J. C., & Hurtubia, R. (2018). The Role of Accessibility to Public Transport and Quality of Walking Environment on Urban Equity: The Case of Santiago de Chile. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2672(35), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198118782036

Tsaur, S.-H., Chang, T.-Y., & Yen, C.-H. (2002). The evaluation of airline service quality by fuzzy MCDM. In Tourism Management (Vol. 23).

Venter, C., Mahendra, A., & Hidalgo, D. (2020). From mobility to access for all: Expanding urban transportation choices in the Global South.

Wen, C. H., Lan, L. W., & Cheng, H. L. (2005). Structural equation modeling to determine passenger loyalty toward intercity bus services. Transportation Research Record, 1927, 249–255. https://doi.org/10.3141/1927-28

Wheatley, D. (2014). Travel-to-work and subjective well-being: A study of UK dual career households. Journal of Transport Geography, 39, 187–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2014.07.009

Zhang, C., Liu, Y., Lu, W., & Xiao, G. (2019). Evaluating passenger satisfaction index based on PLS-SEM model: Evidence from Chinese public transport service. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 120(December 2017), 149–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2018.12.013

Zhu, J., & Fan, Y. (2018). Commute happiness in Xi’an, China: Effects of commute mode, duration, and frequency. Travel Behaviour and Society, 11, 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2018.01.001

Downloads

Published

2025-09-30