App-Based Ride Sharing Services in Urban Cityscape: Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction

Abstract

This article examines consumer behavior toward App-Based Ride-Sharing Services (ABRS) in an urban setting of a developing economy and their expectations of this sector. Data were collected through a structured online questionnaire administered to 222 participants. Initially, a reliability test is conducted to check the validity of the items used in each variable. Secondly, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted, and subsequently, regression analyses were used to test hypotheses. The study results show that Safety and Security (SAS), Driver's Skill and Behavior (DSB), Accessibility to Rides (ATR), Car Quality (CQ), APP’s User-Friendliness (AUF), and Cost of Rides (COR) are respectively critical determinants for matching expectations of consumers to get harmonized with the experience of ABRS. The study is expected to provide an overall picture of the ABRS from the consumers’ viewpoint in Dhaka city. The study contributes to the literature on app-based services by incorporating empirical evidence on consumer behavior and how this mode of service could be improved in large, busy cities like Dhaka.