MEASURING PASSENGER SATISFACTION IN URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN CHISINAU

Abstract

The quality of services provided by the urban public transport system plays an essential role in determining the level of satisfaction of a city's inhabitants and in improving their quality of life. The analysis of the methods used to assess the quality of urban transport services reveals the need to adopt new concepts that more realistically reflect the various aspects of their quality. A critical aspect identified is the fact that traditional methods for assessing the quality of urban passenger transport fail to fully integrate the subjective perceptions of users. They usually focus on technical, operational or economic parameters, neglecting the importance of the personal experience and satisfaction felt by passengers. The integration of subjective perceptions and the use of advanced evaluation methods contribute to the development of a public transport system that better meets passengers' expectations, stimulating the use of public transport and reducing the negative impact on the urban environment.This article represents an application of the principal component analysis (PCA) method to assess the quality of services provided by the urban public transport system using the data collected during the study.This approach will allow for a more balanced assessment focused on the real needs of passengers, thus providing more solid support for decision-making and the implementation of measures to improve urban public transport.