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Gender and Age Do Matter: Exploring the Effect of Passengers’ Gender and Age on the Perception of Light Rail Transit Service Quality in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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  • Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Muhamad Nazri Borhan

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
    Sustainable Urban Transport Research Centre (SUTRA), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Nur Izzi Md. Yusoff

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
    Sustainable Urban Transport Research Centre (SUTRA), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Amiruddin Ismail

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
    Sustainable Urban Transport Research Centre (SUTRA), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Nor Aznirahani Mhd Yunin

    (Road Traffic and Infrastructure Unit (RTI), Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Taman Kajang Sentral, Kajang 43000, Malaysia)

  • Sotaro Yukawa

    (Department of Economics, Osaka University of Commerce, Mikuriyasakae-machi, Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka 577-8505, Japan)

Abstract

Light rail transit (LRT) is a sustainable transportation mode that ensures sustainable environmental, economic, and social development. Generally, the rate of public transportation usage in many parts of the world remains low compared to private vehicles. There is a need to understand passengers’ perception of public transportation service quality to enhance passenger satisfaction and increase ridership. Thus, this study used the Kuala Lumpur LRT service as a case study to investigate the effect of a passenger’s gender and age on their perception of the LRT service quality and their overall satisfaction. This survey involved 417 respondents. The outcome of factor analysis indicated that eight factors—i.e., signage, comfort, speediness, safety, ticketing service, facilities, staff service, and provision of information—influenced passenger satisfaction. The results of the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test indicated that the factors influencing passenger satisfaction significantly varied across a passenger’s gender and age. A more in-depth and comprehensive analysis using the ordered logit model and segmentation approach proved that provision of information, comfort, staff service, and facilities were critical determiners of passenger satisfaction in most segments. Safety factors and ticketing services had no impact on overall passenger satisfaction. The findings of this research could help LRT service providers, researchers, and policymakers formulate effective strategies for enhancing passenger satisfaction and increase the ridership for LRT services.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Nur Izzi Md. Yusoff & Amiruddin Ismail & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Nor Aznirahani Mhd Yunin & Sotaro Yukawa, 2021. "Gender and Age Do Matter: Exploring the Effect of Passengers’ Gender and Age on the Perception of Light Rail Transit Service Quality in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:2:p:990-:d:483129
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Riza Atiq Rahmat & Sotaro Yukawa, 2021. "Factors Influencing Passengers’ Satisfaction with the Light Rail Transit Service in Alpha Cities: Evidence from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Using Structural Equation Modelling," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(16), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Karzan Ismael & Szabolcs Duleba, 2021. "Investigation of the Relationship between the Perceived Public Transport Service Quality and Satisfaction: A PLS-SEM Technique," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Nur Zaimah Ubaidillah & Nur Haziqah Sa’ad & Farhana Ismail & Nordiana Ahmad Nordin & Nur Nadhira Baharuddin & Mohd Khairul Hisyam Hassan, 2022. "The Impact of Public Bus Service Quality on the Users’ Satisfaction: Evidence from a Developing Asian City," Review of Applied Socio-Economic Research, Pro Global Science Association, vol. 23(1), pages 83-96, June.
    5. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Mohd Haniff Osman & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Munzilah Md. Rohani, 2022. "The Influence of Service Quality on User’s Perceived Satisfaction with Light Rail Transit Service in Klang Valley, Malaysia," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(13), pages 1-21, June.
    6. Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi Ibrahim & Muhamad Nazri Borhan & Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid & Sitti Asmah Hassan & Ahmad Firdhaus Arham & Sharizal Hashim, 2023. "Modelling of Passenger Satisfaction and Reuse Intention with Monorail Services in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A Hybrid SEM-ANN Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-21, August.
    7. Apostolos Papagiannakis & Athena Yiannakou, 2022. "Do Citizens Understand the Benefits of Transit-Oriented Development? Exploring and Modeling Community Perceptions of a Metro Line under Construction in Thessaloniki, Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-22, June.

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