User inputs: Importance of and satisfaction with attributes of the CAT bus system

摘要

Although studies of citizensu27 satisfaction with public services have been conducted in many cities on a variety of subjects, very limited empirical research has been conducted on mass transportation. Indeed, studies of financial impacts of mass transportation in urban areas do exist at length. Research on the environmental consequences of mass transit is quite abundant. However, studies on citizensu27 satisfaction of public transportation are limited. This study is designed to provide empirical data focusing on the importance of certain characteristics of the bus system and satisfaction or dissatisfaction with said characteristics within the Citizen Area Transit system (CAT) in the greater Las Vegas area. With a population of approximately 1.6 million people (US Census, 2003) and a diverse range of needs, the Las Vegas Valley and Clark County serve as a good model of other cities around the country. It is the purpose of this research paper to gain knowledge and understanding of the value of consumer opinions on the CAT bus system. In a descriptive study of this nature, it is sometimes difficult to determine actual levels of satisfaction. Without national norms or data from a comparable department, it is challenging to draw meaningful conclusions about the population as a whole. This study attempts to provide a baseline measure for use in planning city- and county-wide programs, and against which data collected in the future can be compared. The goals of this project are twofold: 1) to produce data that show an accurate representation of the citizens who utilize the CAT system and what they feel are the most important characteristics of the system, and 2) to study the general level of satisfaction with each major characteristic of the CAT system.