Abstract:
The study examines the perceived service quality of Makumbura
Multimodal Transport Centre (MMC), Sri Lanka and how that relates with
the overall MMC transit user satisfaction. Following Parasuraman,
Zeithaml and Berry’s work in 1988, the “service” here is recognised through
five dimensions: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and
empathy. 160 MMC transit users who responded through a questionnaire
survey perceived that the ‘quality’ of all MMC service dimensions is higher
than the average level. Among which, the highest-rated aspects were from
the tangible dimension: MMC services being modern, comfortable, visually
appealing, pleasing, immaculate facility with good service mix and a
responsiveness dimension: users being well informed about the time and
place of transit services. The lowest rated service quality was in the
reliability dimension that the ‘other services of MMC such as cafeteria,
ATM etc. being delivered as promised. The study found that only
tangibility, assurance and empathy dimensions of MMC services positively
related to user satisfaction. Reliability and responsiveness dimensions of
MMC service quality had no positive relationship with its user’s overall
satisfaction. Conversely, this information whilst become useful feedback
for the improvement of MMC services. It certainly calls for further research in understanding the complicated aspects of service quality and user
satisfaction in the transport sector in Sri Lanka.
