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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
have positive relationship with performance but divers not keeping to time schedules has
negative relationship with performance. Drivers not keeping to time schedules
discourages commuter from patronizing the services of state Transport corporations but
timely arrival and good driving habits of drivers of the corporations encourage patronage
of the service, the three variables of factor 2 also has positive relationship with patronage
of the services of state transit companies.
Apart from and timeliness, comfortability of the services also commands some
patronage of commuters of the services of state transport corporations. Comfortability
factors were relative quality, adequate leg space, air conditioned buses, refund of fare
during breakdown of vehicles when repairs are not immediate, satisfaction with
infrastructure put in place to aid circulation of passengers and excessive passengers.
Relative quality, adequate leg space, refund of fare when repair of broken down vehicles
is not immediate and satisfaction with infrastructure put in place to aid circulation of
passengers have positive relationship with patronage of the services of state transport
corporations .Factor 1 of principal component analysis had adequate leg space, no over
load with excessive passengers and comfortable seats as the major comfortability
variables that aid the patronage of the services of state mass transit corporation
Affordability and economy of fare charged by state transport providers equally have their
effect on the patronage of the services of the corporations as revealed by the study which
were customer loyalty and no additional fare on luggage as the main variable that dictated
their patronage of the services of State Transport corporations. Consumers have varying
degrees of loyalty to specific brands, stores, and companies. Oliver (1997) defines
loyalty as a deeply held commitment to buy or re-patronize a preferred product or
services in the future marketing of efforts having the potential to cause switching
behaviour. The responses of the respondents supports the view above because they
indicated that they will continue to patronize the service of state transport corporations
even if they have money to pay for private transport or even if they own their own
personal cars, if the number of this customers increases the performance of the state
transit corporations would be better.
The results of factors 5, 6 and 7 indicated no additional charge on luggage for factor 5,
infrequent breakdown of vehicles for 6 and refund of fares if repairs are not immediate
for 7 respectively .A comparison between fares charged by private transport providers
and state transport provider revealed that the fare charged by state transport providers
was low hence the willingness of commuters to patronize the services of state transit
corporations. The reasons revealed by multiple regression analysis for not patronizing
mass transit services were; buses of state mass transit corporations not regularly available
at their bus-stops, low speed of the vehicles, buses not regular, impolite conductors,
nearness of residence to work place, pick – pocket problem and ownership of personal
cars. These problems can be surmounted by an increase in fleet size of state transit
corporation, regular maintenance of vehicles and change of disel engines to petrol
engines
Based on the findings, it was recommended that the ten underlying dimensions be
adopted as the dimensions of transportation service quality and customer care
propositions. This should form the basis for customer care strategy development.
Furthermore, it was recommended that public transport service providers should avail
themselves of best practices in the industry, and welcome complaints from customers as
COPY RIGHT © 2011 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 104
JANUARY 2011
VOL 2, NO 9