Research Needs for a Quality Service Assessment Model of Inclusive Community Transport
Authors: Simoes Anabela , Suen Ling 
Published: June 2022

IntroductionMobility is defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the freedom of movement from one place to another to conduct activities such as work, school, health, recreation, social or shopping. According to the 11th goal of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN at the 2015 General Assembly ”to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable”, accessible, reliable, safe, and comfortable transport services are required to serve multiple trip origins and destinations.This abstract discusses the research needs for the inclusion and equity in sustainable and resilient transport services by outlining the steps towards the development of a Quality Service Assessment Model (QSAM).Transport Services and Their Inherent Qualities Planning community transport services with people in mind requires the provision of a high-quality service embodying the following parameters:Inclusion – Inclusive transport should be open to all by offering accessible, safe, comfortable, and reliable services with human support along the travel chain.Equity – An equal distribution of resources by level and type of transport services should ensure that accessibility and affordability for everyone in the community are built into the operation.Sustainability - Every transport service should be sustainable, both in environmental and economic terms, by offering green travel modes, which are adaptable to critical situations and reliable in schedule adherence.Resilience – When disruptive incidences or accidents occur during travel, the transport system should have standby solutions to ensure trip completion under safe and comfortable conditions.The Quality Service Assessment Model The QSAM is built upon the dynamic interactions in forum discussions by the following three actors: the Users versus those of the Service Providers. The third actor group involved would be independent Stakeholders composed of experts in the fields of Mobility, Transportation, Human Factors, and Rehabilitation, and Academicians, as they will balance the idea exchanges, hopefully resulting in recommendations on service improvements towards the fulfillment of the users’ needs within the service providers’ budgetary and policy constraints.MethodologyMultidisciplinary research teams are required in carrying out the following steps of work:1. Classify targeted user groups according to their mobility limits;2. Define relevant travel scenarios supported by simulation tools;3. Collect qualitative data by means of Focus Groups discussions that address both the users’ perception of the service quality relative to their needs and expectations, versus the service providers’ awareness about gaps between the actual/planned services.4. Design new improvement solutions to fill the service gaps;5. Develop guidelines and recommendations towards inclusion and equity in sustainable and resilient transport services.ConclusionsThis QSAM aims at developing an approach for community transport services that match users’ needs and expectations. Each recommended solution should be designed and tested in a simulation environment. The resultant design guidelines together with policy recommendations, to be published and disseminated, should guide transport providers in achieving the targeted inclusive and equitable mobility in a sustainable and resilient community.