A Structural Equation Approach In Modeling Perceived Service Quality Of Passenger Ferry

Structural Equation (SE) approach has been adopted in this study to model the relation between service variables and overall Service Quality (SQ) in terms of users' perspective of passenger ferry. Five SE models are developed using ratings of twenty potential service variables from 964 questionnaire interviews with inland ferry passengers of Bangladesh. Best among the developed empirical models is selected by different statistical techniques and consistency with real life expected scenario. Among the twenty service variables, 'Fitness of Ferry' and 'Catering Service' are endogenous and exogenous variables respectively found to have greatest influence on ferry SQ. Another aim of this paper is to reveal unobserved latent aspects representing the characteristics of ferry SQ. The best model is found with a latent variable 'System Performance'. This study helps to determine which variables are crucial for their influence on passenger perceived SQ. Highly competitive business of passenger transportation industry compels service provider of passenger ferry to provide effective and good service for customers. Understanding service variables that influence ferry passengers perception makes it easier to design and deliver adequate services to the users and thereby improve this public transport to meet the demand of a growing economy.