Service Quality of Hat Yai Bus Terminal 1 in Songkhla Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research aimed to 1) compare the service quality of       Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province based on the user perception categorized by personal factors, 2) compare the service quality of Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province based on the user perception categorized by the behavior of service use, and 3) examine the correlation between the personal factor and the behavior of service use of users in Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province. Four hundred respondents from Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province were chosen by the sampling technique. The statistics for data analysis were percentage, mean, standard deviation, Chi-square, t-test, and F-test.

The finding revealed as follows:

1. The majority of users were female between 21 and 30 years old who graduated from bachelor degree. These passengers were an employee in the private company with the average monthly income less than 10,001 Baht. They were single, and the current address was in Narathiwat, Yala, and Pattani province.

2. According to the behavior of service use in Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province, the purpose of the most users was to travel for the private business. The reason for consideration to employing service in Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province was the convenience. The most of selected vehicle type was the air-conditioning van. The dominant service mode referred to the round-trip. The frequency of service use was one to three times a month. The majority of the users traveled to Songkhla province as a destination. The trip was mostly taken alone, and the next service is needed. The maximum period for using the service was from 15.01 to 18.00, and the service expense was between 101 Baht and 300 Baht.

3. The service quality of Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province indicated that the users perceived the service quality of Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province at a high level in the overall. When considered aspect by aspect, concerning the physical attribute, the users realized the grocery shops in the terminal at the highest level. For reliability, the users noticed a queue arrangement of the service provider at the highest level. Relating a response to the user, the users remarked the continuous service availability of the provider at the highest level. According to the staff in charge, the users perceived the same standard of serving without discrimination at the highest level. And on the recognition and understanding toward users, they realized the emphasis by the service provider on their maximum benefit of travel at the high level.

4. The personal factors of users comprising of sex, age, educational background, occupation, average income per month, marriage status, and current address correlated with the behavior of service use in Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province.

5. The user with the difference in sex, occupation, average income per month, and current address represented the different perception of service quality in Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province.

6. The user with the difference in service use demonstrated the different perception of service quality in Hat Yai bus terminal 1 in Songkhla province.