Assessing perceived satisfaction with multi-modal public transportation in Johannesburg, Braamfontein, through a factor analysis approach

The significance of public transportation stems from its capacity to offer effective and convenient mobility choices; thus, the satisfaction of users plays an important role in shaping the overall standard of services provided. This study aims to assess perceived user satisfaction across different public transportation modes using a quantitative research method. Data was collected using questionnaires administered to commuters of minibus taxis, buses, and ride-hailing services in Braamfontein, a key transport hub in Johannesburg. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to identify the underlying factors influencing passenger satisfaction. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of 0.866 indicated sufficient sampling adequacy for EFA, supporting the study’s aim. The analysis identified five primary underlying dimensions: service delivery, accessibility, economics, operations, and infrastructure performance. Together, the five factors accounted for 70% of the total variance, demonstrating that they effectively capture the underlying data structure. The findings reveal that minibus taxis need to maintain their economic, accessibility, and operational standards while improving service delivery and infrastructure to enhance efficiency, although bus accessibility still needs improvement. For ride-hailing, economic performance is an important attribute but may cause dissatisfaction if not properly managed. Additionally, passengers ranked various attributes by transport mode, with service delivery and infrastructure being the most important factors in choosing public transport. These insights directly support SDG 11 by pinpointing the key factors that drive people to shift towards public transport, and these lessons can help build an improved integrated transport system. They also guide public transport operators and regulators on critical areas for improving service quality and user satisfaction across different modes. Future research should explore the relevance of this factor framework in diverse cultural contexts to aid the development of sustainable public transport systems in developing countries.