ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVEL OF STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH INTRA-CAMPUS TRANSPORT SERVICES IN UGBOWO CAMPUS

ABSTRACT

This research examines students’ satisfaction with the operation of taxicabs and buses within Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. The study revealed the importance and the challenges associated with the intra-campus transport system operation within the university community. Research survey method was adopted using the instrument of questionnaire to gather information relating to the operation of intra-campus transport services as it relates to students satisfaction. The aim of this research is to examine the level of students’ satisfaction with the operation of buses and taxi cabs service in Ugbowo Campus of University of Benin, Benin City Edo State, Nigeria. The socio-demographic profile of the respondents revealed that the intra-campus transport system is used by all and sundry comprising of both off campus students and students that live within the campus. The study revealed that a larger percentage of the students use the intra-campus transport service on daily basis. The results showed that 63.3% of the student respondents were inclined to the use of shuttle buses operation within the school premises. However,    61.7% has preference for the use of taxicabs, because of the high level of comfort and satisfaction it tends to provides. Also, the research did not fail to x-ray some key areas the school transport management committee are expected to function effectively in order to provide quality services to the users. Thus, the organizational arrangement of both shuttle buses and taxicabs were accorded to be fair. Again, the road worthiness of the two transportation means was also accessed to be good.  The buses were rated  by 58.9% of the respondents to be fairly congested while the 51.1% of taxicabs respondents rated taxicabs not congested. 49.4% of the respondents observed the buses to be old vehicles, that is second-hand vehicles, popularly called ‘Tokunbo vehicles’ based on their physical appearance while 51.1% of respondents rated the taxicabs to be neat based on their physical appearance. 75.6% of the respondents agreed that bus drivers operating within the campus do not engage in high speed, this is due to fact that they are quite aware, they operate within the school environment were there are so many pedestrians. More so, the study revealed that the students do not anticipate increase in fare beyond what they are currently paying. Though, 55.6% of the respondents acknowledged the bus fare to be affordable while 44.4% of taxicabs respondents acknowledge the rates to be fair. The attitudinal disposition of the bus drivers was assessed to be unfriendly contrary to that of the taxi drivers. This was inferred to be due to the pressure of work they have to engage on daily basis.Chi-square test showed that a significant interaction between the use of either buses or taxicabs was found X2 (2) =117.20, P< 0.05). In other words, the test statistics brought to the fore that respondents are more likely to be satisfied in the use of taxicabs (50.0%) than in the use of shuttle buses (7.8%).