Impact of public transport waiting areas on user satisfaction: A stimulus–organism–response perspective

Public transport waiting areas shape passengers' first impressions and play a crucial role in forming their overall satisfaction with the travel experience. In this regard, this study examines how environmental attributes at public transport waiting areas influence the satisfaction and intentions to use public transport regularly among private car users in Greater Accra, Ghana, who occasionally use public transport. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework and employing path analysis, the study examines factors at bus stops and stations, including shelter provision, perceived security, comfort, and information availability. The results show that perceived security, comfort, and information availability emerge as the strongest predictors of satisfaction. However, while such improvements enhance perceptions of the waiting environment, they appear insufficient on their own to drive a behavioural shift toward public transport in rapidly motorising cities. By focusing on the unique sensitivities of car-dependent users, the research provides policymakers in the Global South with practical insights and extends the application of the S-O-R model in transport behaviour research.