Relationships between service quality and customer satisfaction in rail freight transportation: A structural equation modeling approach

Promoting the use of rail for freight transportation can improve logistics performance and contribute to sustainable development. To increase the share of rail freight, it is crucial to understand its service quality factors as well as their relationships with customer satisfaction, which have not been studied yet. Therefore, the objective of this study was twofold: first, to construct a reliable service quality measurement instrument for understanding the service quality factors and their associated indicators; and second, to examine the direct and indirect relationships between these service quality factors and customer satisfaction. A questionnaire survey was conducted among shippers, freight forwarders, and clearance and forwarding agents (C&F) in Bangladesh, resulting in the collection of 209 samples. Analyzing the data through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the authors developed a six-dimensional instrument for service quality measurement, which includes tangibility, cost of transportation, transit time, reliability, safety and security, and responsiveness. The empirical results obtained through structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that tangibility has the highest impact on customer satisfaction, followed by cost of transportation. Additionally, transit time, reliability, and responsiveness also play significant roles in influencing customer satisfaction. The findings of the research would help the rail authorities improve the service quality of rail freight transportation and, consequently, enhance customer satisfaction levels.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrtpm.2024.100485
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210970624000556
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/22109706
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Muni, Md Sabbir Hossain
  • Khan, Md Moshiur Rahman
  • Zafri, Niaz Mahmud
  • Chowdhury, Mohammed Mojahid Hossain
  • 0000-0003-4690-7858
• Publication Date: 2024-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 100485
• Serial:
  • Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 2210-9706
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/22109706

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Customer satisfaction; Delivery service; Factor analysis; Freight trains; Freight transportation; Quality of service
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01936702
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 13 2024 1:16PM