When Expectation Meets Satisfaction: Examining Users and Non-users Perceived Expectations towards Public Bus Services

Studies on public mass transportation has gained attention over the years. Even though as part of the success of achieving low-carbon goal and reduction in traffic congestion has been attributed to promoting public buses usage, transport planners are yet to achieve this goal by meeting the expectations of users and non-users of public bus services to boost patronage. This study examines some elements of public buses attractiveness. The current study is one of the first to empirically examine and test commuters’ expectations towards public bus services in China. The research findings show that among the expectations of users and non-users of public bus services are provision of storage space in public buses, availability of bus card recharge machines at various bus stops, improvement of entry and exit systems in public buses, availability of sufficient charging systems in public buses and provision of free Wi-Fi in the public buses. Also, the study found that, commuters prefer to pay transport fare directly with WeChat and Alipay applications rather than other applications.