Evaluating the effect of on-board activities on the travel satisfaction of public transport users

Nicolas Fabre, Louafi Bouzouina, Laura Eboli, Florent Laroche () and Gabriella Mazzulla
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Nicolas Fabre: LAET - Laboratoire Aménagement Économie Transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Louafi Bouzouina: LAET - Laboratoire Aménagement Économie Transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Laura Eboli: UniCal - Università della Calabria [Arcavacata di Rende, Italia] = University of Calabria [Italy] = Université de Calabre [Italie]
Florent Laroche: LAET - Laboratoire Aménagement Économie Transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Gabriella Mazzulla: UniCal - Università della Calabria [Arcavacata di Rende, Italia] = University of Calabria [Italy] = Université de Calabre [Italie]

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Abstract: This paper investigates the relationship between Public Transport (PT) passengers' perceptions about service quality characteristics and their travel satisfaction, focusing on the possibility to perform on-board activities. The main aim is testing whether satisfaction with PT service influences passengers' experience of making on-board activities and consequently their overall travel satisfaction. The novelty of this study and its main contribution to the existing literature is based on the evidences regarding the relationship between PT service quality, on-board activities, and travel satisfaction. To investigate this relationship, a method based on the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach is proposed. The work is supported by the Regional Court of Auditors, which conducted an audit of Sytral Mobilités (Lyon, France) in June 2024, administering a satisfaction survey to subscribers and provided the data. The analysis shows that comfort aspects influence on-board activities, which in turn influence overall travel satisfaction. The study's findings demonstrate the potential strength of public transport compared to the private car. They can also potentially be useful for service providers to improve the service based on passengers' perceptions and, consequently, offer services that may also be attractive for other potential users.

Keywords: SEM approach; Travel satisfaction; On-board activities; Comfort; PT services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07
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Published in Transport Policy, 2026, 183, Paper No. - 104144. ⟨10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104144⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05606967

DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104144

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