Passenger Satisfaction: Assessment on the Current Queueing Management System in the Port of Dumaguete Ticketing Outlets

The study examines the queuing system and passenger satisfaction at the ticketing outlets of Dumaguete City Port, where growing tourism and inter-island travel have intensified congestion, particularly during peak hours. It employs a quantitative-descriptive research design, gathering data from 100 purposively selected walk-in passengers through time-motion observations and a structured questionnaire with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.92). Queueing theory, specifically M/M/1 models and Little’s Law, together with descriptive statistics, is used to analyze key performance indicators such as arrival rate (λ), service rate (μ), average waiting time in queue (Wq), average queue length (Lq), and server utilization (ρ). Results indicate that demand sharply increases around midday and on late weekdays, with high-traffic operators such as OceanJet and Montenegro exhibiting arrival rates up to 0.383 passengers per minute, waiting times reaching 9.67 minutes, long queues, and utilization levels of ρ = 0.92, indicative of severe congestion and near-saturation of service capacity. In contrast, FastCat and HS Star Marine maintain more stable operations with shorter waiting times. All outlets employ single-server, first-come, first-served (FCFS) queues, which promote fairness but constrain throughput during demand surges. Passenger behavior remains generally orderly, with minimal queue-jumping, yet overall satisfaction is only neutral (x̄ = 3.36/5), lowest in aspects related to queue layout and peak-period performance. The findings suggest that while the current system functions adequately off-peak, it becomes strained under high demand. The study recommends increasing the number of service counters, implementing dynamic staffing, improving physical layouts with barriers and clear signage, and adopting digital solutions such as self-service kiosks and mobile applications to enhance operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction.