Commuters' Perceptions of Public Transport Service in South Africa

Considering that the study of public transport is important since it affects all citizens and is essential for the wellbeing of any nation, this paper reports the results of an exploratory study conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa among a convenience sample of 902 commuters selected using the commuter intercept survey. In contrast to traditional service quality research which uses the SERVQUAL instrument, this study used RECSA, which constituted the following transport service quality attributes: reliability, efficiency, comfort, safety and accessibility. It became evident that with regard to public busses and mini-bus taxis, all RECSA service quality variables are important to commuters. In summary, min-bus taxis were perceived as being less comfortable and less safe and less reliable, yet their services were being used more than more frequently. The findings have implications for service providers, transport planners and relevant government authorities, etc., in that they need to take cognizance of the perceptions of the commuters and implement strategies to improve the situation. Keywords: Public road transport; transport service quality; mini-bus taxi service