Service Quality of Road Public Transport in Secondary Cities: Experiences from Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A, South Africa

Abstract

Over recent decades, road public transport systems have been geared towards addressing challenges of service quality worldwide, particularly within cities of the Global South. In South Africa, where road public transport systems are characterised by low service quality standards, bus rapid transit systems have emerged as a solution to meet service quality standards at relatively low costs. This has led to their increase in adoption across various cities. Despite their great potential, commuters’ perceptions of the service quality of these systems remains unexplored, particularly in secondary cities. To address this gap, this study investigates the service quality of Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A to inform an evidence-based integrated spatial planning framework for improving public road transport in secondary cities of South Africa. Grounded in the pragmatism paradigm, a case study research design was used to guide the collection of both qualitative, quantitative and spatial data. These were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, field observations, traffic surveys, questionnaires, geospatial mapping and desktop study. A total of 174 articles from Web of Science and Scopus were systematically identified and reviewed through the PRISMA model. Interviews were conducted with 11 key informants, selected through purposive sampling from officials in the City of Polokwane. Three focus group discussions were held with members of taxi associations and conventional bus operators. Thematic and content analyses were used to analyse the qualitative responses. Furthermore, datasets collected through traffic surveys were analysed using coefficient of variation analysis. Questionnaires were administered to commuters selected through convenience and snowball sampling, and 344 responses were recorded. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to analyse data and identify latent factors determining in-transit commuters’ perceptions of the service quality of Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A. The identified factors were used to analyse differences in commuters' perceptions based on car ownership status through Standardised Z-scores calculations. Geospatial data analysis was also conducted. The findings indicate that the spatial network patterns of Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A are strategically designed to connect peripheral residential areas with the Central Business District. The analysis of accessibility demonstrated that Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A greatly improves access to key land use activities across diverse urban and peri-urban areas within the City of Polokwane. However, affluent suburbs such as Bendor Park and Eduan Park and some parts of Seshego, remain under-connected. The findings further indicated that Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A is disintegrated with other transport modes, leading to inefficient competition rather than a complementary system. This lack of integration leads to both spatial opportunities and infrastructural limitations in facilitating seamless multimodal travel. The analysis of the facilities further revealed that Leeto buses are in good physical condition and equipped with modern, inclusive features to support safe, accessible, and efficient transport, especially for vulnerable groups. Commuters have access to support via WhatsApp, and the Leeto mobile app offers real-time information about services. However, there is no real-time information inside buses and at bus stops, which limits commuter trip-planning capabilities. All bus stops lack sheltered waiting areas or security personnel and have no installed cameras for safety and comfort. Some bus stops encroach into the roadway due to the absence of lay-bys. The findings indicate that Leeto La Polokwane offers affordable cheaper fares compared to other public transport modes. However, adjustments in bus fares have resulted from pressure exerted by taxi associations. In terms of commuter opinions, the study identified 16 latent factors as key determinants of commuters' perceptions of service quality for the Leeto La Polokwane Phase 1A. Importantly, the perceptions varied between car-owning and non-car-owning users, which indicated that socio-economic factors significantly influenced expectations and satisfaction levels. Drawing on these findings, the study proposes an integrated spatial planning framework centred on interconnected components. These include policy alignment, stakeholder engagement, and integrated spatial planning that comprises strategic spatial planning, tactical spatial planning, and operational spatial planning. The framework provides a structured, collaborative approach for improving service quality and advancing integrated, equitable, and efficient road public transport systems in Polokwane and other secondary cities in South Africa.