Analysing Commuter Satisfaction in Ahmedabad’s Public Transport System: A Case Study of Gujarat Metro Rail

Abstract

As one of the fastest-growing cities in India, Ahmedabad, the commercial hub of Gujarat, is under increasing stress as more and more people migrate into the city, increasing the demand on its public transportation systems which leads to increased congestion and unequal access to public transportation, thereby decreasing its reliability. The paper is a case study on public transport system being rolled out by Gujarat Metro Rail with integration with bus/ BRTS/ auto rickshaw and Indian Railways commuting facilities. The research methodology used was a mixed methods approach, which included survey data from 120 commuters in key metro corridors as well as qualitative data obtained from structured interviews. The study examines the factors that influence commuter satisfaction through regression, Pearson correlation, Chi-square tests and independent samples t-tests. The findings reveal strong positive and statistically significant service quality, last mile connectivity and commuter satisfaction (r = 0.941, p<0.01). The differences between males and females in relation to levels of satisfaction were not confirmed statistically, however. Satisfaction was determined to be driven mostly by the factors of affordability, timeliness, and intermodal transfer efficiency. Attitudes of commuters are not good predictors of public adoption; rather, the system's quality of the integrated services matters. The Phase II metro extension to Gandhinagar and GIFT City reinforces the role of metro-based public transport systems to improve regional connectivity, expedite travel time and facilitate sustainable mobility. The paper provides some useful policy suggestions for urban planners and transport policy makers on how to create inclusive, efficient and resilient public transport networks in Indian cities.