Quality of service in dial-a-ride operations

Few studies have been conducted on the quality of service provided by the organizations responsible of providing dial-a-ride services for people with reduced mobility. In order to study quality in such contexts, the paper first defines what is meant by “quality” in the service sector. The difference between quality and satisfaction is then discussed, and the most well-known scales of measurement are introduced. After a brief review of the techniques and tools used in the service sector to improve quality, the notion of quality in dial-a-ride services is discussed more in depth. In particular, the dimensions and attributes of various scales of measurement used by researchers in dial-a-ride studies are reviewed. Finally, the impact on quality of various elements, like the size and type of organization and the operational rules used, are discussed.