Modelling user satisfaction with transportation public-private partnership projects

Abstract

The Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) approach to infrastructure delivery has become famous as a crucial route for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) transportation infrastructure development in developing countries around the world including Thailand. One interesting PPP project is the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) SkyTrain under a concession agreement with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Another interesting project is the Second Stage Expressway operating under a concession granted by the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT).

Due to the commercial nature of infrastructure projects adopting the BOT method, the satisfaction of users and officials is a key concern since they are principal PPP stakeholders. In order to assess the levels of satisfaction with PPPs, it is essential to study the levels of perceived satisfaction by key stakeholders. The focus of this study is to identify and evaluate the benefits associated with PPP projects in Thailand and to develop a model of user satisfaction with the two PPP projects. The research analysed, reviewed, and modelled user satisfaction on the BTS project. The model is then tested on the EXAT project.

Questionnaire survey responses from 561 EXAT users and 52 EXAT officials were obtained and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Linear Structural RELationships (LISREL) is used to analyse the hypothesised user satisfaction model. The results show that three principal factors (Service, Safety, and Operation) correspond to Service Quality (SQ) and SQ affects Behaviour Intentions (BI) via Perceived Value (PV) and/or Satisfaction (SA). The verified and validated model is generated and developed by using the data from the BTS and EXAT projects.