An importance-performance analysis of public transport to the university campus based on best-worst scaling

Abstract

University campuses represent important transport attraction poles in cities due to the large number of students, faculty and administrative staff who commute to the campus daily. The campus location can significantly increase traffic around the area, especially during the class entry and exit times. Therefore, public transport systems are essential to facilitate access to the university campus worldwide, especially for students. This study aims to evaluate the level of importance and satisfaction with factors that affect public transport use among university students. In this context, a best-worst scaling experimental design is used to carry out an important performance analysis (IPA) of public transport services to university campuses in Gran Canaria by estimating a Mixed Logit model. Thus, it will be possible to determine what attributes should be prioritised when implementing policies for improving these services. The results showed that public transport managers and university authorities should primarily focus on providing direct services and improving punctuality and bus frequency. Our results also provide valuable insights into the search for the best policies that match students’ transport mobility preferences with the service provision.