An Evaluation of Passenger Satisfaction with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System as a PublicTransportation Mode
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33152/jmphss-10.4.3Keywords:
Service quality, Price, Promotion, Distribution, Employee, Process, Physical environmentAbstract
Urban overpopulation has been a major transportation problem in big cities such as Amman, the capital of Jordan, with an estimated population of about 4.9 million and serious infrastructure problems. In 2019, Jordan introduced an Amman Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to make public transport more efficient and accessible. The aim of this study is to examine the impacts of the various elements of the service marketing mix including service quality, pricing strategies, promotional tactics, distribution routes, employee competence, service process efficiency, and the physical environment on the passenger satisfaction with the BRT system. Data were collected from 301 passengers through a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed thoroughly by using simple and multiple regression techniques in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results indicate that passengers have a positive relationship with the various elements of the marketing mix, where each of them has a significant effect on passenger satisfaction with the BRT system. According to the study findings, management should focus on improving the elements of the marketing mix that increase passenger satisfaction more effectively. It further recommends conducting periodic surveys to obtain continuous feedback to facilitate timely and well-informed improvements to the Amman BRT system.
References
Abenoza, R. F., Cats, O., & Susilo, Y. O. (2016). Travel satisfaction with public transport: Determinants, user classes, regional disparities and their evolution. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 95, 64–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2016.11.011
Aburomman, A. & Alshdaifat, A. (2026). Evaluating User Satisfaction and Service Quality in Bus Rapid Transit Implementation in Amman, Jordan. International Journal of Transport Development and Integration 10(1), pp. 166–179. https://doi.org/10.56578/ijtdi100112
Ahmed, S., Asheq, A. A., Ahmed, E., Chowdhury, U. Y., Sufi, T., & Mostofa, M. G. (2022). The intricate relationships of consumers' loyalty and their perceptions of service quality, price and satisfaction in restaurant service. The TQM Journal, 35(2), 519–539. https://doi.org/10.1108/tqm-06-2021-0158
Albatayneh, O., Gaweesh, S. M., & Malkawi, D. A. H. (2024). Forward-Thinking for sustainable shared mobility solutions in Amman. Sustainability, 16(2), 732. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020732
Alghizzawi, M., Megdadi, Y., Shibly, M. S. A., Alkhlaifat, B. I., Alzeaideen, K., & Ali, M. (2024). The impact of leadership style on improve Performance: A comparative approach. In Studies in Systems, Decision and Control (pp. 1341–1354). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56586-1_97
Al-Haj, E., Alamoush, S. & Darwish, M. M. (2024). Service quality of Amman BRT based on users' perceptions: A structural equation modeling approach. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering. 28(8), pp. 3506–3519. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-024-0175-8
Ali, B. J., Gardi, B., Othman, B. J., Ahmed, S. A., Ismael, N. B., Hamza, P. A., Aziz, H. M., Sabir, B. Y., Sorguli, S., & Anwar, G. (2021). Hotel service quality: The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction in hospitality. International Journal of Engineering Business and Management, 5(3), 14–28. https://doi.org/10.22161/ijebm.5.3.2
Alkharabsheh, A., Moslem, S. & Duleba, S. (2019). Evaluating passenger demand for development of the urban transport system by an AHP model with the real-world application of Amman. Applied Sciences 9(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/app9224759
Alnaser, F., Alghizzawi, M., Abualfalayeh, G., Omeish, F., Alharthi, S., & Al Koni, S. R. (2024). The impact of social media marketing activities on purchase intention. International Review of Management and Marketing, 14(6), 288–300. https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.16839
Alnsour, M. A. (2023). Assessment of risks affecting the operational activities of the Amman bus rapid transit (BRT) system. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 78, 265–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2023.07.036
Altarifi, F., Louzi, N., Abudayyeh, D., & Alkhrissat, T. (2023). User preference analysis for an integrated system of bus rapid transit and on-demand shared mobility services in Amman, Jordan. Urban Science 7(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040111
Arab Urban Development Institute. (2023). Project Description. https://araburban.org/en/infohub/projects/?id=7674
Asata, M. N., Nyangoma, D., & Okolo, C. H. (2020). Strategic communication for inflight teams: Closing expectation gaps in passenger experience delivery. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 1(1), 183–194. https://doi.org/10.54660/.ijmrge.2020.1.1.183-194
Calvo, E., & Ferrer, M. (2018). Evaluating the quality of the service offered by a bus rapid transit system: the case of Transmetro BRT system in Barranquilla, Colombia. International Journal of Urban Sciences, 22(3), 392–413. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2018.1433056
Cervero, R., & Dai, D. (2014). BRT TOD: Leveraging transit-oriented development with bus rapid transit investments. Transport Policy, 36, 127–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2014.08.001
Cordera, R., Novales, M., Orro, A., Alonso, B. & dell’Olio, L. (2024). Good practices on transit operation design: Bus drivers’ perspective. European Transport Research Review 16(36). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-024-00661-1
De Oliveira, M. L., De Andrade Mairinque, L., Santos, J. B. D., & Lima, J. P. (2022). Multivariate analysis of public transport quality: a case study in a medium-sized Brazilian city. Production, 32. https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-6513.20210117
De Oña, J., De Oña, R., Eboli, L., Forciniti, C., & Mazzulla, G. (2016). Transit passengers' behavioural intentions: the influence of service quality and customer satisfaction. Transportmetrica: A Transport Science, 12(5), 385–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/23249935.2016.1146365
De Sousa Pereira, M., De Castro, B. S., Cordeiro, B. A., De Castro, B. S., Peixoto, M. G. M., Da Silva, E. C. M., & Gonçalves, M. C. (2025). Factors of customer loyalty and retention in the digital environment. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 20(2), 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20020071
Department of Statistics. (2026). Jordan Statistical Yearbook 2024 - Department of Statistics. Department of Statistics. Published January 27, 2026. https://dosweb.dos.gov.jo/product/jordan-statistical-yearbook-2024/
Eboli, L., Forciniti, C., & Mazzulla, G. (2018). Spatial variation of the perceived transit service quality at rail stations. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 114, 67–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2018.01.032
Elmi, Z., Li, B., Liang, B., Lau, Y., Borowska-Stefańska, M., Wiśniewski, S., Dulebenets, M. A. (2023). An epsilon-constraint-based exact multi-objective optimization approach for the ship schedule recovery problem in liner shipping. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 183, 109472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2023.109472
Eshaghi, M.S., Afshardoost, M., Lohmann, G., & Moyle, B. (2024). Drivers and outcomes of airline passenger satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Journal of the Air Transport Research Society, 3, 100034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jatrs.2024.100034
Etuk, A., Anyadighibe, J. A., James, E., & Mbaka, R. (2021). Service quality and passengers' loyalty of public transportation companies. British Journal of Management and Marketing Studies, 4(4), 82–98. https://doi.org/10.52589/BJMMS-LRQ7JAVX
Haikal, E., Freihat, S. M., Homsi, D. M., Joudeh, J. M., & Tareq, H. (2020). The role of supply chain strategy and affiliate marketing in increasing the demand for e-commerce-social media POV. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 9(1). 2051-3771. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339552762
Hair, J. F., Page, M., & Brunsveld, N. (2019). Essentials of business research methods. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429203374
Hasan, U., Whyte, A., & Jassmi, H. A. (2021). Public bus transport service satisfaction: Understanding its value to urban passengers towards improved uptake. Transactions on Transport Sciences, 12(1), 25–37. https://doi.org/10.5507/tots.2021.002
Hashem, T. N., Al-Zagheer, H., & Atieh, K. (2025). Influence of smart payment solutions on individuals’ purchase intention within cosmeceutical sector: Moderating role of marketing franchises. In Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation/Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (pp. 117–123). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-84889-6_13
Hussain, R., & Mort, G. S. (2024). Analyzing public bus services in Dubai: Insights from passengers’ perspectives. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/10495142.2024.2360202
Išoraitė, M., Jarašūnienė, A., & Samašonok, K. (2023). Assessment of the impact of advertising in promoting sustainable mobility and multimodality in the urban transport system. Future Transportation, 3(1), 210–235. https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp3010013
Jou, R., Chiu, Y., & Kuo, C. (2021). Low-cost carrier passengers’ willingness to pay for the seat preselection service: a case study on the Taiwan-Japan route. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2021, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6699270
Li, G., Zhang, R., Guo, S., & Zhang, J. (2022). Analysis of ride-hailing passenger satisfaction and life satisfaction based on a MIMIC model. Sustainability, 14(17), 10954. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710954
Lindau, L. A., Hidalgo, D. & Facchini, D. (2010). Bus Rapid Transit in Curitiba, Brazil: A Look at the Outcome After 35 Years of Bus-Oriented Development. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2193(1), pp. 274–282. https://doi.org/10.3141/2193-03
Liu, Y., Li, Y. & Li, W. (2019). Natural language processing approach for appraisal of passenger satisfaction and service quality of public transportation. IET Intelligent Transport Systems 13(11), 1701-1707. https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-its.2019.0054
Mahmoudi, S. M., Verdinejad, F., Jandaghi, G., & Mughari, A. M. (2010). Analysis and establishment of bus rapid transit (BRT) on customer satisfaction in Tehran. African Journal of Business Management, 4(12), 2514–2519.
Mehmood, R. T., Shah, M. Z., Moeinaddini, M., Arif, M. M., Chuhdary, R., & Tahira, M. (2024). Assessing urban land parcel dynamics driven by bus rapid transit (BRT) as an exclusive transit route. Urban Science, 8(4), 227. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040227
Mikuličić, J. Ž., Kolanović, I., Jugović, A., & Brnos, D. (2024). Evaluation of service quality in passenger transport with a focus on liner maritime passenger transport—A systematic review. Sustainability, 16(3), 1125. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031125
Minelgaitė, A., Dagiliūtė, R., Liobikienė, G. (2020). The usage of public transport and impact of satisfaction in the European Union. Sustainability, 12(21), 9154. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219154
Mogaji, E. (2025). Transformative transport services: leveraging sustainability, inclusivity, and technology through marketing management. Journal of Marketing Management, 41(13–14), 1370–1402. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2025.2461673
Mugion, R. G., Toni, M., Raharjo, H., Di Pietro, L., & Sebathu, S. P. (2017). Does the service quality of urban public transport enhance sustainable mobility? Journal of Cleaner Production, 174, 1566–1587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.052
Nadeem, M., Azam, M., Asim, M., Al-Rashid, M. A., Puan, O. C., & Campisi, T. (2021). Does bus rapid transit system (BRTS) meet the citizens’ mobility needs? Evaluating performance for the case of Multan, Pakistan. Sustainability, 13(13), 7314. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137314
Narayana, T. L., Venkatesh, C., Kiran, A., J, C. B., Kumar, A., Khan, S. B., Almusharraf, A., & Quasim, M. T. (2024). Advances in real time smart monitoring of environmental parameters using IoT and sensors. Heliyon, 10(7), e28195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28195
Navarro, P. H., & Haag, L. (2024). Pursuing sustained competitive advantage through the use of process management. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 15(6), 1290–1315. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijlss-12-2023-0219
Nguyen-Phuoc, D. Q., Su, D. N., Tran, P. T. K., Le, D. T., & Johnson, L. W. (2020). Factors influencing customer’s loyalty towards ride-hailing taxi services – A case study of Vietnam. Transportation Research Part A Policy and Practice, 134, 96–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2020.02.008
Nikel, C., Eldeeb, G., & Mohamed, M. (2020). Perceived quality of bus transit services: A route-level analysis. Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2674(2), 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198120904380
Okechukwu, E. U., & Nnamani, E. (2015). Employee empowerment and team-work in management of change: Techniques, challenges and prospects. Journal of Policy and Development Studies, 9(3), 126–141. https://doi.org/10.12816/0011171
Pavlina, P. (2015). The factors influencing satisfaction with public city transport: A structural equation modelling approach. Journal of Competitiveness, 7(4), 18–32. https://doi.org/10.7441/joc.2015.04.02
Petrie, H., & Bevan, N. (2009). The evaluation of accessibility, usability, and user experience. The Universal Access Handbook. (ed.). Routledge & CRC Press. https://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9780805862805
Prakash, G. (2018). Understanding service quality: insights from the literature. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 16(1), 64–90. https://doi.org/10.1108/jamr-01-2018-0008
Roya News. (2019). “Amman Bus” project to be launched on June 30, interesting features. https://en.royanews.tv/news/17862/'Amman-Bus'-project-to-be-launched-on-June-30%2C-interesting-features-included#google_vignette
Rua, O. L., & Santos, C. (2022). Linking brand and competitive advantage: The mediating effect of positioning and market orientation. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 28(2): 100194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2021.100194
Saw, Y. Q., Dissanayake, D., Ali, F., & Bentotage, T. (2020). Passenger satisfaction towards metro infrastructures, facilities and services. Transportation Research Procedia, 48, 3980–3995. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2020.08.290
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016a). Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach (Seventh Edition). John Wiley & Sons. https://www.kaizen-ju.com/storage/images/files/file_1726386321u6FVO.pdf
Shtayat, A., Alfoul, M. A., Moridpour, S., Al-Hurr, N., Magableh, K., & Harahsheh, I. (2019). Waiting time of public transport passengers in Jordan: magnitude and cost. The Open Transportation Journal, 13(1), 227–235. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874447801913010227
Surbakti, M. S., & Bakara, M. R. (2020). Operational performance analysis of Trans Mebidang bus (case study: Binjai terminal - Medan). IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering, 801(1), 012027. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/801/1/012027
Zhang, C., Liu, Y., Lu, W. & Xiao, G. (2019). Evaluating passenger satisfaction index based on PLS-SEM model: Evidence from Chinese public transport service. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 120, pp. 149–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2018.12.004
Zheng, Y., Kong, H., Petzhold, G., Barcelos, M. M., Zegras, C. P., & Zhao, J. (2021). User satisfaction and service quality improvement priority of bus rapid transit in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 9(3), 1900–1911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2021.10.011
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Riyad Abu-Malouh, Mohammed O. Abu-Rahme, Mahmood Allan, Majeed M. Mansour, Nafez Ali, Jamal M. Joudeh, Mohammad H. Al-Hajaj
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
