Public transport satisfaction in 2022 improves slightly following big dip the year before

SINGAPORE: There was a small jump in the number of commuters satisfied with public transport in Singapore in 2022, compared to the year before, a Public Transport Council (PTC) survey has found.

The council said on Monday (Feb 13) that 92.7 per cent of people surveyed were satisfied with public transport in 2022, a slight improvement compared to 2021, which experienced a six-year low of 92 per cent.

The Public Transport Customer Satisfaction Survey, conducted annually since 2006, seeks to understand commuters’ expectations and needs, as well as to identify areas for improvement.

The 2022 survey was conducted online, with 5,029 commuters aged 15 and above, between Sep 17 and Oct 31.

Respondents were asked to provide a rating of between 1 to 10, with 1 representing very dissatisfied or unimportant. Those who gave a score of 6 were deemed to be satisfied.

The mean satisfaction score for 2022 remained at 7.8 for the fourth consecutive year, with ratings given by commuters for individual service attributes.

The service attributes are safety and security, waiting time, reliability, service information, bus interchange or bus stop or MRT station accessibility, comfort, travel time and customer service.

For MRT services, overall satisfaction rose from 93.6 per cent to 94.2 per cent, with significant increase in ratings for safety and security, waiting time, and customer service. The mean satisfaction score for MRT services increased from 7.9 to 8.0.

For bus services, overall satisfaction increased from 90.8 per cent to 91.7 per cent. Ratings for reliability saw a dip from 87.9 per cent to 85.5 per cent, while waiting time, comfort, customer service, and safety and security rose.

Ratings for service information, accessibility, and travel time also increased slightly. The mean satisfaction score for bus services remained at 7.7.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The survey findings also showed that the overall satisfaction with public transport in Singapore for people with disabilities had increased in 2022 compared to the previous year, particularly for bus services.

91.6 per cent of people surveyed were satisfied with public transport in 2022, up from 84.6 per cent in 2021.

The mean satisfaction scores for all public transport service attributes rose, with waiting time, service information and accessibility registering the biggest improvement, the PTC said.

The 2022 survey for people with disabilities was conducted online and included 309 participants with disabilities and 228 caregivers of individuals with disabilities.

Started in 2021, the survey was conducted for the second consecutive year and aims to find out more about the travel experience of people with disabilities and their caregivers while commuting in Singapore.

For MRT services, overall satisfaction for people with disabilities rose from 87.2 per cent to 90.2 per cent, with significant increase in ratings for service information, accessibility, travel time, and customer service. The mean satisfaction score for MRT services increased from 7.4 to 7.5.

For bus services, overall satisfaction for people with disabilities increased from 82.9 per cent to 92.8 per cent. All service attributes saw a significant increase in ratings, with waiting time seeing the biggest increase from 68.8 per cent to 89.5 per cent. The mean satisfaction score for bus services increased from 7.1 to 7.6.

Last year's survey was carried out by Forbes Research, while the survey for people with disabilities was conducted by Asia Insight.