Assessing Service Quality,Switching Costs and Customer Loyalty in Home‐Delivery Services in Taiwan

Abstract

This study empirically investigated service quality, switching costs and customer loyalty from home‐delivery services' customers' perceptive. With regard to service quality attributes, findings indicated that customers were most satisfied with ‘range of delivery’, followed by ‘seldom loses parcels’, ‘invoice accuracy’, ‘prompt and reliable collection’ and ‘delivery by due time’. They were least satisfied with competitiveness of price. A structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was employed to analyse the impact of service quality and switching costs on customer loyalty from customers' perspective. Results revealed that service quality positively influenced switching costs and customer loyalty, and switching costs had a positive effect on customer loyalty. Investigation of the moderating effect of switching costs on the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty indicated that it was significantly important. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for firms providing home‐delivery services are discussed.     

Measuring Success of PPP Transport Projects: A Cross-Case Analysis of Toll Roads

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to measure ‘overall’ success of a public private partnership (PPP) transport projects using four case studies. All four case studies are PPP toll roads from four different EU countries (UK, Spain, Portugal and Greece). The case studies have been analysed using a manual Qualitative Comparative Analysis approach. According to the paper, three different perspectives have been used to measure the success of a project, that is, project management perspective, stakeholder perspective and contract management perspective. The ‘overall’ success has then been deduced by bringing these three perspectives together as a holistic approach. The findings are presented in the form of a matrix and the final outcome of the paper shows a simple methodological approach that can be used to measure success of a PPP transport project. Since the study takes more of a qualitative approach, researcher bias and perceptions have a major role to play in the final outcome. However, to reduce ‘biasness’, quantitative measures have also been used to quantify the Key Performance Indicators and performance measures in the case studies. It is hoped that the study makes a valid contribution to the areas of transport PPPs and performance measurement.     

Passengers’ Perceived Service Quality of City Buses in Taipei: Scale Development and Measurement

Abstract

To understand fully passengers’ perceptions and expectations of the bus service quality in Taipei, business managers and governmental agencies must seek a proper scale that can reflect passengers’ opinions accurately. This study develops and tests a service quality scale designed for a city bus transit system in Taipei. Churchill’s paradigm and a focus group interview were combined into a multistage scale development procedure. Based on the procedure, Taipei city buses were selected as the example, for which a service quality scale was developed. The final scale contains four dimensions and 20 items. These four dimensions are ‘interaction with passengers’, ‘tangible service equipment’, ‘convenience of service’ and ‘operating management support’. Finally, the results of scale development and the managerial applications of the service quality scale for the city transit system are discussed.     

Seaport performance analysis using robust non-parametric efficiency estimators

Abstract

Seaport services have been developing year on year, playing an increasingly important role in the economy and the transportation markets of each country. This increases interest in measuring their performance. This paper evaluates the performance of a set of European seaports by means of robust non-parametric approaches. Using order-m and bootstrap procedures, the major problems of traditional data envelopment analysis and free disposal hull methods – concerning noise, presence of outliers and the ‘curse of dimensionality’ – are overcome. With this study considerable levels of inefficiency were found in the European seaports sector.     

Performance evaluation and obstacle factors analysis of urban public transport priority

ABSTRACT

Through the comprehensive consideration of four subsystems – overall development level, infrastructure construction, public transportation service level and policy support – an index system of public transport priority performance evaluation is established. A performance evaluation of bus priority implementation in Wuhan City from 2007 to 2016 is carried out by applying the difference coefficient CRITIC-TOPSIS model. The obstacle factor model is also used to diagnose the factors affecting the priority performance of urban public transport. The research results show that, during this decade, the comprehensive performance of Wuhan City’s public transport priority developed from poor to medium, then to good and finally to excellent. The overall development level and infrastructure construction performance subsystems have the highest obstacle degree, followed by public transportation service levels and policy support performance subsystems. The research idea and method of this paper provide a realistic basis for promoting the priority performance of urban public transport.     

A structural equation model of activity participation and travel behavior using longitudinal data

Abstract

This paper presents a dynamic structural equation model (SEM) that explicitly addresses complicated causal relationships among socio-demographics, activity participation, and travel behavior. The model assumes that activity participation and travel patterns in the current year are affected by those in previous years. Using the longitudinal dataset collected from Puget sound transportation panel ‘wave 3’ and ‘wave 4,’ these assumptions are tested with suggested SEMs. Within each wave, the model is structured to have a three-level causal relationship that describes interactions among endogenous variables under time-budget constraints. The resulting coefficients representing the activity durations indicate that people tend to allocate their time according to the importance and the obligation of the activity level. Results from the dynamic SEM confirm the fact that people's current activity and travel behavior do have effects on those in the future. The resulting model also shows that activity participation and travel behavior in ‘wave 3’ are closely related to those in ‘wave 4.’ These explicit explanations of relationships among variables could provide important perspectives in the activity-based approach which becomes recognized as a better analytical tool for the transportation planning and policy making process.     

The trade‐off between efficiency,effectiveness, and social feasibility of regulating road transport externalities

This paper discusses the tension between the theory and practice of the regulation of road transport externalities from the viewpoint of the trade‐off between efficiency, effectiveness and the social feasibility of regulation. Various possible types of regulatory instruments, subdivided into ‘direct’ demand management, ‘indirect’ demand management and ‘supply side’ oriented policies, are evaluated qualitatively according to these criteria. Attention is then directed towards the trade‐off between efficiency, effectiveness and feasibility within the field of ‘direct’ demand regulation of road transport.     

Incorporating e-Technology to Advantage in a Greener Taxi Industry and its Impact on Driving Performance and Safety

Abstract

New technologies, especially advances in telecommunications, have had profound impacts on everyday life and brought even greater changes to some business models. Taxis represent one of the major modes of transportation in urban areas but they face a number of problems, including their environmental impacts. The status of the taxi industry in Taiwan is revealed and analyzed in this study. A new business model for the extensive and popular use of smart phones is proposed. However, it is important to know whether their use is both effective and safe. Two field experiments were executed to examine the effects on taxi drivers of using a navigation system installed in a GPS PDA phone. The results revealed that the efficiency of drivers using such a portable navigation system was better than those relying on paper maps in unfamiliar urban areas. Furthermore, performance in terms of safety was also better than those who used an on-board navigation system. In summary, incorporating e-technology can promote a taxi company's competitiveness and a driver's performance and safety as well as offer environmental benefits.     

Selection Criteria of Transportation Mode: A Case Study in Four Finnish Industry Sectors

Abstract

This paper takes a closer look at the very basics of logistics and it analyses the selection criteria of transportation services from the industrial point of view as the main research problem. It also tries to establish a better understanding of which industrial sectors are using which mode of logistics services and why. According to the analysis, the high value and especially high price/kg ratio of products, short life cycles and worldwide markets are typical reasons to use rapid modes of transport. The high price/kg ratio of products and the short life cycles, for example in the electronics industry, cause high price erosion and support selecting transport based on speed, as proportional transport costs remain small, even when using expensive transportation modes. Based on the results, some of the future logistics needs were identified, and the aim is to help logistics service providers offer the exact services needed, providing better competitiveness for Finnish shipping companies operating in global markets. Logistics service providers are, for example, expected to have more powerful supply chain management capabilities than a single‐service provider can typically offer. Additionally, logistics service providers should have compatible operating systems with different parties of various supply chains to enable deliveries to different customer groups according to their industry’s required speed.     

Policy Simulation for New BRT and Area Pricing Alternatives Using an Opinion Survey in Jakarta

Abstract

An area pricing scheme for Jakarta, Indonesia, is currently under review as a transportation control measure along with the operation of new bus rapid transit (BRT) system. While this scheme may be effective for congestion reduction in the central business district (CBD), provision of alternative means of transportation for auto users that are ‘pushed-out’ is of great importance to obtain public acceptance. Hence, it is necessary to simulate simultaneously the area pricing scheme and the BRT development which may serve as an alternative for assumed ‘pushed-out’ auto users. Utilizing data from an opinion survey, this paper studies how BRT and auto ridership are likely to vary as a function of traveler and system attributes. Additionally, the study attempts to evaluate the way this new travel mode is distinguished from other existing conventional transportation alternatives in Jakarta. The survey data contains socioeconomic information of over 1000 respondents as well as details of to-work/school trips to the CBD including mode, travel cost, time, etc. Respondents were asked about their willingness to shift from their current mode to BRT to make the same travel for different BRT fare levels. Modeling efforts suggest that a mixed logit model performs better in explaining choice behavior. Therefore, this model was used for policy simulation. The simulation results brought about many implications as to the tested policies. While the developed models may be applied only to future BRT corridors in which the survey was conducted, they capture the key variables that are significant in explaining mode choice behavior and present great potential for practical use in policy simulation and analysis in a large metropolitan area of the developing world.     

Innovation strategy in new transportation systems: The case of Crossrail

This article examines how innovation can be strategically incorporated into transportation systems. Large transportation systems generally have a poor record in systematically integrating innovation in their development, construction and operation. Our research setting is Crossrail, a major new railway traversing London, where the creation and implementation of an innovation strategy formalized and systemized its approach to innovation. Based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with project leaders and participant observation, the paper critically analyses the formulation, implementation and performance of Crossrail’s innovation strategy. Crossrail’s management explicitly uses an ‘open innovation’ strategy that incentivizes partners, contractors, and clients to innovate in the project. Its strategy guides decisions and priorities on innovation and the types and levels of innovation that best match project aims. The paper holds lessons for those developing, operating and studying large transportation systems both now and into the future.     

What transportation modeling needs from a GIS: a conceptual framework

Both the geographic information system (GIS) and transportation modeling environments have seen continually developing analytic concepts and techniques. However, these developments have seldom resulted in the integration of GISs and transportation models. This paper explores the potential inherent in merging of these environments through a systematic investigation of the fundamental basis of integration. To do this, the traditional four step transportation modeling process is extended to include input and output steps. We then define functional components for GIS data handling — data management, manipulation, and analysis. The steps of modeling are matched against the list of GIS data handling functions within a matrix‐based framework. GIS functions that enhance a land‐use based urban transportation modeling process are then categorized. Conclusions are drawn and directions for future developments are discussed.     

Viewpoints of adults with and without Autism Spectrum Disorders on public transport

BackgroundPublic transport is low cost, allows for independence, and facilitates engagement and participation for non-drivers. However, the viewpoints of individuals with cognitive disabilities are rarely considered. In Australia, the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is approximately 1% and increasing. Many individuals with ASD do not possess a driver’s licence, indicating that access to public transport is crucial for their independence. However, at present, there is no research on the opinions of adults with ASD on public transport.AimTo identify the viewpoints of adults with ASD regarding the barriers and facilitators of public transport usage and their transportation preferences, and to contrast these against the viewpoints of neurotypical adults.MethodsQ method was used to identify the viewpoints of both participant groups on public transport. Participants consisted of 55 adults with a diagnosis of ASD and a contrast group of 57 neurotypical adults. Both groups completed a Q sort task which took place in either Perth or Melbourne, Australia.ResultsThe most prominent viewpoint indicated that both groups preferred to use public transport over driving and believed that it supported their independence. This viewpoint also indicated that both groups preferred to use electronic ticketing when using public transport. Interestingly, the second most prominent viewpoint indicated that both groups preferred to drive themselves by private car rather than use public transport.DiscussionIt appears that the viewpoints of adults with and without ASD regarding public transportation were largely similar. However, questions arose about whether the preference for public transport in the ASD group may be more a result of difficulties obtaining a driving licence than a deliberate choice. The only barrier specified by adults with ASD related to crowding on public transport. Safety and convenience in relation to location and timing of services were barriers reported by neurotypical adults.     

A suppressed demand analysis method of the transportation disadvantaged in policy making

Abstract

This paper proposes a method for estimating transportation supply requirements when the suppressed demand of the transportation disadvantaged (TD) can be calculated and added to existing demand for travel. The underlying assumption is that the travel conditions of these TD groups must be equal to the ‘conventional’ demand, known as ‘full release’. Utilising the modelling approach for TD, suppressed demand analysis, diagnosis of difficulties and equity between conventional and disadvantaged groups were realised, while elaborating special cases for the most vulnerable TD groups (such as elderly and disabled persons) and simultaneously identifying areas of difficulty. From the early virtual results, it is concluded that, for the full release of suppressed trips (only a 5% increase), policy makers must be ready to face some financial burdens, requiring coordination of effort to both standardise these TD groups and reduce the costs incurred by operators.     

A Review of the Evolution of Shared (Street) Space Concepts in Urban Environments

Abstract

This paper aims to clearly establish the origin and evolution of the shared space concept from a New Zealand perspective by reviewing the literature in the disciplines of both urban design and transportation engineering. The review process involves investigating the use and function of a public road space in the context of the changing of public expectations and how this can relate to a number of interconnected street design approaches (e.g. traffic calming and self-explaining roads (SERs)). These approaches have been used to minimise the influence of motor vehicles since the beginning of the automobile era. The shared space concept, when applied in public road environments in activity centres, has increasingly been embraced by urban planners, transportation engineers and regulatory agencies. A shared space diverges from a conventional road where all road users are encouraged to legitimately occupy the same road space with little physical separation. To achieve this in a safe and efficient manner, the design aims to reduce the dominance of the motor vehicle by promoting pedestrian and cycling activity and utilising the road space as a ‘place’ in addition to its ‘transport’ mobility and access purposes. Given the fundamental conceptual differentiation between a traffic-calmed street and a shared space, the paper argues that there are certain design elements, constituting a shared space, and without them, it would be difficult for a public street to function as a genuine shared space for all road users.     

Optimal tank-trailer routing using the ILOG constraint programming – a Taiwan case study

Abstract

This paper investigates the routing of pressurized tank trailers and proposes a scheduling plan which ensures the practical delivery of industrial gases under the objective of reducing transportation costs. Using constraint programming, we solve a combinatorial optimization problem that incorporates both hard and soft constraints for routing and scheduling tank trailers. Hard constraints are resource and safety/regulation constraints, whereas soft constraints are utilization and efficiency constraints. This approach enables tank-trailer routing and scheduling management to consider different combinations of parameters and view the results in ‘real-time.’ The routing and scheduling results based on a case study in Taiwan fulfil the goals of avoiding risks associated with transporting industrial gases, and attaining efficient delivery while conforming to regulations and consistent with good business practice. The results also suggest that significant economies in distribution costs are possible.     

High-speed rail's potential for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from short haul aviation: a longitudinal study of modal substitution from an energy generation and renewable energy perspective

Abstract

This paper quantifies and evaluates, utilising a ‘bottom-up’ approach, the effect on CO₂ emissions of a modal shift from short-haul air travel to high-speed rail (HSR), based on projected passenger movements, between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia during the period 2010–2030. To date, peer-reviewed studies assessing the CO₂ emissions from these competing modes of high-speed transportation have been restricted principally to a cross-sectional assessment, with a Eurocentric bias. This present comparative study seeks to address a gap in the literature by assessing, longitudinally, the CO₂ emissions associated with the proposed operation of HSR against the ‘business-as-usual’ air scenario between Sydney and Melbourne. Under the assumed 50/50 modal shift, and the Australian government's current renewable electricity target, an annual reduction in CO₂ emissions of approximately 14% could be achieved when compared with a ‘business-as-usual’ air scenario. This percentage reduction represents a 62 kt reduction in base year, 2010, and a 114 kt reduction in the final year, 2030. In total, the overall reduction achieved by such a modal shift, under the assumed conditions, during the period 2010–2030, equates to approximately 1.87 Mt of CO₂. Importantly, if the electrical energy supply for HSR operations was further ‘decarbonised’, then it follows that a greater emission reduction would be achieved.     

Rail freight service productivity from the manager's perspective

To be beneficial to management, productivity concepts must be translated into terms that are meaningful to managers at all levels of the organization. Productivity per se is not nearly as important to these people as service quality and financial performance, especially since measured productivity can improve while profits or service levels decline. Productivity must, therefore, be related to an integrated set of performance measures that reflect costs, revenues, trip times and reliability, equipment availability and other matters of continuing concern to transportation companies. Planning and control are critical components of any program to improve productivity. The techniques required to measure and understand productivity are precisely those used in planning and in developing control systems. Furthermore, productivity is conceptually very close to cost analysis, which is a major focus of planning and control. Any transportation company has access to the data needed to develop a vast array of performance measures, including many productivity measures. This paper will illustrate the way that railroads can integrate productivity concepts within more global performance measurement systems. Specific attention will be given to terminal control systems, costing systems for origin-to-destination movements and life-cycle costing techniques for track maintenance planning.     

Dynamic demand estimation and microscopic traffic simulation of a university campus transportation network

Abstract

This article documents the authors' experience with the modeling, simulation, and analysis of a university transportation system, using the TRansportation ANalysis and SIMulation System (TRANSIMS). The processes of data preparation and network coding are described, followed by the algorithm developed to estimate the dynamic 24-hour demand, which includes a procedure for estimating the ‘desirability’ of the different parking lots from readily available data. The dynamic demand estimation algorithm is validated by comparing estimated and observed parking lot occupancies, where it is shown that the algorithm is capable of replicating observed results. Finally, an example is included to demonstrate how the developed model can be used in campus transportation planning. Besides serving as a first case study for using TRANSIMS to model a university campus, the study's contributions include the development of a procedure for parking lot desirability ranking and a practical procedure for estimating dynamic demand on university campuses.     

Quality indicators and capacity calculation for RoRo terminals

Abstract

Road freight transportation has increased dramatically over recent years along with its impacts such as congestion, noise, and pollution. As a result, European and US governments have started policies to promote alternatives to road transportation, such as logistic chains containing a Short Sea Shipping (SSS) link. Road is, by definition, a more flexible means of transportation than shipping, which is usually cheaper. Therefore, to move traffic to SSS chains, it is necessary to provide fast, frequent, and reliable maritime transportation. In this sense, roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels are the most convenient ships to be used, since they have smaller dwell times in port and, therefore, this is a kind of traffic likely to increase dramatically. The foreseeable increase of this kind of traffic must meet with an increase in the actual capacity by means of either improvement in performance and possible enlargements of existing terminals or the construction of new terminals. In that sense, this paper proposes a simple methodology to calculate the capacity of a RoRo terminal, whether already in operation or during its design process, and relate it to some quality standards by means of quality indicators, which should lead to the definition of Levels of Service similar to those already used in roads and airports. The paper ends by applying the methodology to a real terminal in Barcelona, Spain.