# Quality of Service Criteria in Integrated Passenger Transport Systems: An Overview
## 4 Public Passenger Transport Service Quality
### Customer Perceptions of the Quality of Service Criteria in Public Passenger Transport  
Customers generally have a tendency to compare the service they \"experience\" with the service they \"expect\". Customers criteria of the QoS in public transport plays a crucial role in determining public transport systems' overall satisfaction and usage patterns. These criteria can significantly impact trips, revenue and the reputation of transport providers.  
Analysing studies of real-world PPT improvements generally reveal that regardless of the criteria targeted, PPT improvements tend to achieve some level of increase in customer satisfaction or modal shift from individual transport. It is concluded that PPT services have the potential to attract individual transport users by improving the QoS.  
Findings [33] show that PPT customer satisfaction is influenced by the following:  
1. Perceived value;
2. Perceived usefulness;
3. Image (customers opinion);
4. Perceived ease of use (use does not affect PPT satisfaction).  
A case study [34] analysed five bus terminals in Italy. The results show that perceived quality varies within the characteristics of the entire trip. Even if a passenger passes through a high-quality terminal, the overall quality of the trip is perceived as \"low\" for the 46% of the customers that take a \"long trip\" (travel time of \"low quality\" and greater than 2 h) or use more than one transport mode (if at least one is of \"low quality\", e.g., subway and bus; bus and train). The opposite occurs for the \"short trips\".  
Article [35] raises four services of quality perceived attributes:  
1. Comfort;
2. Safety;
3. Convenience;
4. Aesthetics.  
The QoS measurement scale identifies three different quality criteria [36]:  
1. Service planning and reliability;
2. Comfort and ancillary factors;
3. Network design.  
The paper [37] indicates that six criteria cover QoS in PPT:  
1. Safety;
2. Service provision;
3. Unwanted arousal;
4. Cost;
5. Access;
6. Self-image.  
Moreover, the QoS in PPT services is not evaluated in isolation, with users also weighing up the quality of individual transport and other transport modes in their quality evaluations. In one study [38], users' service satisfaction was found to be critical in their evaluation of public transport services and resulted in loyalty to a certain transport mode. This study investigated public transit passengers' behaviour by constructing a comprehensive model considering public transit involvement, service quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioural intentions.  
Monitoring and addressing these criteria can help improve customers' perceptions of the QoS in public transport. Regular feedback collection, performance tracking and continuous improvement initiatives can play a significant role in enhancing the overall experience for passengers. The QoS criteria define a level of satisfaction and reflect distinctions between the groups of users. The most satisfied group of users are retired people, while most of the objections to PPT are made by students [39].