Efficiency Enhancement in Rail Freight Service in Thailand Using Servqual Model

Abstract

© 2020 IEEE. Rail freight service in Thailand is increasing its importance as it is considered as the second cheapest mode of transportation after the maritime service. Moreover, the current major mode of transportation which is the road transportation has created a lot of problems including high energy consumption, increased number of accidents and pollution problems. Therefore, Thai government has launched its policy to expand the rail track networks and promote the use of rail freight services. However, there is no clear avenue to enhance the efficiency of the rail freight service. The purpose of this study is to identify a set of performance indicators for measuring rail freight transportation service. The indicators were developed based on SERVQUAL Model and prioritized by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Finally, the result from this research shows where the providers should focus for improvement as they are the major concerns for customers and providers themselves. The punctuality and better services are the most important concerns while the tangible assets are the least significant attributes. A set of performance indicators for rail freight service is recommended.