Assessing the Impact of Transport Service Quality on the Demand of Passengers for Bus Transport. Application of the Assessment Methodology in the Žilina Self-governing Region in the SR

The paper deals with the impact of transport service quality in bus transport on the demand of passengers. The demand for transport services is determined by several factors at the same time. The impact rate of these factors varies while the impact of individual factors of demand are different also in terms of the groups of passengers realizing demand for bus transport. In order to assess the quality level, it is necessary to propose not only appropriate procedures for measuring quality criteria including the transformation of the quality loop but also to quantitative methods for expressing the quality level of transport services. In the next phase, a methodology for quantifying the impact of transport service quality on the demand for bus transport within the current needs and habits of passengers in the conditions of a particular region of the SR is proposed and applied. Improving the quality of transport services can help to stabilize the constantly decreasing demand for bus transport. By improving the quality of transport services, the objective is to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of the demand for bus transport and thus to eliminate negative impacts of individual car transport.