Users perception based service quality analysis at toll plazas using structural equation modeling

Service quality is one of the main performance indicators to assess the quality of traffic operations and facilities provided at the toll plaza. Present study proposes a methodology to evaluate the service quality for toll plazas in India. This study identifies various determinants such as infrastructural and traffic characteristics, drivers' behaviour, operators' behaviour at tollbooths and trip characteristics associated with service quality at toll plazas. Thus the effect of five latent variables and sixteen indicators are determined and nine hypotheses are formulated based on the existing literature review on the above subject. A total of 1427 users at four different toll plazas located in northern and western parts of the country were interviewed and their responses were collected through predetermined structured questionnaires to derive structural equation models. After removing missing data and outliers using Mahalanobis D-square, finally, 1325 samples are used to develop the model. The five latent factors and their indicators are confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hypotheses are tested through path analysis. SEM models derived in this study reveal that driver's behaviour, infrastructural and traffic characteristics, trip characteristics and tollbooth operators' behaviour positively influence service quality at toll plaza based on users' perception. Hence, it is essential that these latent factors should be given proper attention during the planning and designing of toll plaza aimed at enhancing service quality of toll plazas and safety.