Sustainability of Public Transportation: An Examination of User Behavior to Real-Time GPS Tracking Application

Wei Chiang Chan, Wan Hashim Wan Ibrahim, May Chiun Lo, Mohamad Kadim Suaidi and Shiaw Tong Ha
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Wei Chiang Chan: Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak 94300, Malaysia
Wan Hashim Wan Ibrahim: Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak 94300, Malaysia
May Chiun Lo: Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak 94300, Malaysia
Mohamad Kadim Suaidi: Chancellery, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak 94300, Malaysia
Shiaw Tong Ha: Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak 94300, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 22, 1-20

Abstract: Public transportation is an effective method of mobility that promotes cost-saving and is environmentally friendly. Poor public transport ridership in Malaysia is due to the unsatisfactory attitude of public transport users and inaccurate information on departure and arrivals. Sarawak, a state of Malaysia, is especially poor in ridership of public transport. A real-time Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking application (app) was found to be an effective tool to increase the ridership of public transport. Hence, a mobile app named UniBus was developed to enhance the ridership of public transport in Sarawak. The determinants that affect satisfaction and customer loyalty such as accessibility, reliability, comfort, safety, and security were all examined before and after the use of real-time GPS tracking app. The data was collected in Kuching, and targeted public transport users who used the UniBus app. The result indicated that all the mentioned variables were improved after using a real-time GPS tracking app. It is suggested that future studies can consider other factors such as service quality, availability, and perceived value as well as cover other states of Malaysia.

Keywords: accessibility; reliability; comfort; safety and security; satisfaction; loyalty; comparison; before and after; real-time GPS; mobile application (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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