A Decision Tree Approach for Achieving High Customer Satisfaction at Urban Interchanges

Abstract

This paper introduces a decision tree approach, which can be used for the assessment of the design, operation and services provided at urban transport interchanges. Realizing a customer satisfaction survey, feedback was received from 239 users of the Riga International Coach Terminal on crucial attributes, including: travel information, wayfinding information, time and movement, access, comfort and convenience, station attractiveness, safety and security, emergency situation handling and overall satisfaction. Findings revealed the most significant parameters that need to be addressed in order to increase users’ satisfaction, which can gradually improve the overall attractiveness of the terminal and the efficient provision of its services.

A User-Centred Approach to Design Transport Interchange Hubs (TIH): A Discussion Illustrated by a Case Study in the Russian Arctic

“…Hernandez et al [14] conducted a survey to collect travellers' data about various aspects of TIH and run a classification and regression tree model together with an important-performance analysis model to identify strengths and weaknesses on travellers' perceptions of a TIH in Spain. A similar work is proposed by [15], who produce a decision tree and apply descriptive and inferential statistics to surveys with customers to investigate user perception and satisfaction with quality of service provided by a TIH in Riga. Monzon et al [16] report, from surveys with different stakeholders including customers, the influence of nine basic parameters in the overall quality of five different terminals.…”

“…The authors connect these DPs to travellers' needs by proposing the set of FRs listed in Fig 2. 'Speed' is a need directly related to travellers' routes; how fast to move as well as how far to move from any pair of origindestination. As noted in [5,[13][14][15][16][17][18]26] speed is related to total traveling time which includes not only transportation time, waiting time and time required to walk from a specific point of the city to the terminal but also walking time inside the terminal building itself. Since there is no prescribed quantity associated to this portion of the total traveling time, the provision of short unobstructed traveller routes inside the building becomes an essential functional requirement (FR3).…”

“…'Easiness' is a need related to way-finding [13][14][15][16][17][18][26][27][28], first in terms of efficiently assisting travellers in deciding where to go inside the terminal building (FR2). Second, it involves not only the provision of appropriate information but mainly how easy it is to make decisions related to travelling in general, such as buying ticket, passing control points, gathering information, etc.…”

“…Besides the aforementioned constraints, the work addresses and discusses: (i) Travellers' Needs and Aspirations (TNAs), mainly using the Customers' Pyramid proposed by [18] together with further relevant information from the literature [13][14][15][16][17]; (ii) Functional Requirements (FRs), by translating Travellers' Needs and Aspirations into a set of functional specifications considering a 'solution neutral' environment and; (iii) Design Parameters (DPs) discussing and defining the physical variables to satisfy each FR individually listed. The work does not go beyond two levels of specification in terms of most of the FRs as it is the intention it remains solution neutral (unbiased) and can be used as a starting point to rethink the design of terminal buildings adopting a customer/ traveller perspective (Fig 1).…”

Exploring Specific Features of Transport Interchange Hubs (TIH) Design, Taking into Account the Climatic Conditions of the Russian Arctic

“…Addressing this requirement normally involves providing several facilities and amenities to travellers such as offering convenience shopping, food and refreshments, 'workstations', etc. [7][8][9][10][11]12]. These opportunities can be exploited by non-travellers and business managers through the design of more 'interesting' terminals, which can fulfil travellers' needs as well as act as community hubs, benefiting its customers (the travellers), and the city as a whole.…”