# An Integrated Decision Support Model for Evaluating Public Transport Quality
## 1 Introduction  
Big cities suffer from serious risks and critical problems, such as air pollution, noise pollution, parking difficulties, road congestions, increasing transport costs, need for safety, and high infrastructure maintenance costs. To cover these critical issues, citizens have to leave their own cars and start using the public transport system. For this decision, among other personal considerations, different attributes can be connected to public transport quality as influencers. The strategy of many large cities is to retain public transport passengers or enhance a mode shift to public transport services; this leads to decreased congestion and reduced air and noise pollution. To attract nonusers and encourage them to leave their private vehicles and start using public transport, local government representatives in metropolitan areas have to ameliorate the supply quality of public transport system. Improving public transport supply quality and detecting the real demand of citizens for its development were investigated by several scholars through employing not only statisticalmethodologies but also dynamical methodologies. In reference [1], the metropolitan Metro of Seville service quality was evaluated to provide a reliable measurement tool for transit performance by using composite index that combines the passenger point of view with the service provider point of view. Reference [2] aimed to evaluate the service quality of public bus transport in the UK by adopting a quality competition model and fare levels for high-density routes. Reference [3] determined citizens' perspectives regarding public transport service quality improvement by adopting a qualitative approach, emphasizing the importance of understanding citizens' demands and expectations, not only to increase users' satisfaction, but also to boost public transportation usage. Reference [4] proposed a SERVQUL measurement approach to evaluate public transport service quality in Australia and the questionnaire survey detected a significant gap between the real demand of citizens' perspective and the existing system. Reference [5] investigated commuters' satisfaction towards public transport service quality by adopting switching barrier theory; the theory was examined by using a two-step Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. For estimating public transport service quality, [6] adopted an integrated the SERVQUL measurement approach based on bivariate correlation and EN 13816, a European standard on service quality in public transport, which illustrated the significance of reliability and frequency; moreover, they highlighted the gap between discernment and anticipation for public transport service quality. Reference [7] utilized the SERVPERF approach (which is a multiple-item technique for measuring service quality) for measuring the service quality factors of airlines; the results highlighted reliability as the most significant factor, based on the passengers' perspective. Reference [8] used a discrete choice model to evaluate public bus transport service quality in Gran Canaria, Spain. They illustrated the importance of citizens' preferences toward improving the quality of the system. Reference [9] applied a P-TRANSQUAL approach (which is service quality model of public land transport) to estimate and develop a service quality of public transport in Indonesia; the applied approach would be useful for local government representatives in developing countries. Reference [10] presented the unreliability of public transport service quality results over time through application of an empirical study for selecting users' point of view toward public transport service quality, and highlighted that cross-temporal comparison of service quality data must be interpreted with caution for public transport quality management.