Kamran Rashid - Department of Operations & Supply Chain, University of Management & Technology, Pakistan
Tashfeen M. Azhar - Department of Operations & Supply Chain, University of Management & Technology, Pakistan
Irfan Farooqui - University of Management & Technology, Pakistan

Metro Bus System (MBS), the first world standard rapid transit system oper ative in Lahore, Pakistan for last few months, is a project that has a heavy financial liability on a developing nation while its justification is based on the claim of meeting the customers’ (passengers) requirement. This research is the first ever empirical study on this service. It is hence aimed to find if MBS meets customer expectations and delivers them satisfaction especially in contrast with the other Public Bus Services (PBS) operating in the city. Descriptive stats and t testwere applied on data obtained using SERVQUAL survey. The results provide evidence that customers are satisfied with MBS and their level of satisfaction is also higher than PBS. The mean value of satisfaction from MBS is 0.44 and the dissatisfaction (indicated by negative value) for PBS is - 0.16, hence an overall advantage of MBS is 0.60; all the differences are statistically significant. The main satisfying factors for MBS were safety, promptness and in time service, while the dissatisfaction were for convenient operating hours and personalized attention. The major contributors of customer dissatisfaction in PBS were delays and lack of promptness

Metro Bus System, SERVQUAL, Customer Satisfaction, Rapid Transit