This book is an attempt to make the reference work, which is intended for practitioners, as well as a textbook, available to students. The contents of this book may be broken down into seven sections, which are as follows: historical development; systems and technologies; comparing options; planning; management and operations; policy issues; and the future. But because public transportation in general and MSRTC, in particular, is a dynamic subject, it was necessary to revise the book in order to ensure that it will continue to serve its readers well into the twenty-first century. Should transportation support current lifestyles, or should it promote or compel change in lifestyles? This is one of the new and developing topics that are addressed in the revised and updated version. Other new and emerging topics include: Who should be responsible for paying for transportation services: those who use them, taxpayers at the local level, or taxpayers at the national level? How can we maximize the improvements to air quality, energy consumption, land use, and modes of transportation to offer the necessary mobility at the lowest possible cost? How can we coordinate the many parts of transportation systems management (TSM) to make them more effective and efficient?
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Public Transport In India: An Overview
1.2 Road Transport In India: A Brief Note
1.3 Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC): Brief Profile
1.4 Scope/Statement of The Problem (SOP)
1.5 Reasons For Selecting The Problem
1.6 Theoretical and Practical Relation For Selecting The Problem
1.7 Objectives of the Study
1.7 Research Framework
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Public Transport In India: Problems And Challenges
2.2 Road Transport In India
2.3 Public (Bus) Transport
2.4 Performance of Public Transport In India
2.5 Rationale For Restructuring
2.6 International Experience In Reforms In Public Transport
2.7 Brief History of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC)
2.8 Problems Currently Faced By MSRTC
2.9 Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction
2.10 Defining Indictors of Public Transport Efficiency
2.11 System Efficiency Indicators
2.12 TQM In Public Transportation
2.13 TQM Principles For The Public Transportation Industry
2.14 Niche Marketing Strategies In Public Transport Service
2.15 Financial Aspect: Impact of Taxation on Cost of Operation of MSRTC
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Need For Research
3.2 Research Objectives
3.3 Research Design
3.4 Research Constructs and Measures
3.5 Research Instrument
3.6 Reliability and Validity
3.7 Sampling Procedure
3.8 Research Hypotheses
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Respondents’ Profile and Descriptive Statistics (Questionnaire 1 For Commuters)
4.2 Factors That Lead To Discomfort Among Commuters Inside And Outside Buses
4.3 Preferred Factors for Better Service
4.4 Response Rate
4.5 Scale Unidimensionality: Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
4.6 Assessment of Reliability
4.7 Structural Model
CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS, DISCUSSIONS, AND CONCLUSIONS
5.1 Findings and Discussion
5.2 Conclusions
CHAPTER 6: IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Implications and Recommendations
Research Objectives and Topics
The primary aim of this work is to investigate the service efficiency of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) in relation to commuter satisfaction, in order to propose a structured business model and recommendations for operational improvements within a competitive market environment.
- Evaluating commuter satisfaction levels with current MSRTC service quality.
- Identifying critical operational bottlenecks affecting MSRTC efficiency.
- Applying Total Quality Management (TQM) principles to public transportation.
- Developing niche marketing strategies to optimize passenger traffic and operational revenue.
- Analyzing the impact of direct and indirect taxation on MSRTC operational costs.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN INDIA: PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES
The rapid growth of India’s urban population—as in other developing countries—has generated an enormous need for efficient public transport services to carry high volumes of passengers through dense, congested urban areas. By 2001 over 285 million Indians lived in cities, more than in all North American cities combined (Office of the Registrar General of India 2001). There has been especially rapid growth of the very largest metropolitan areas such as Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta), and Delhi, which now exceed 10 million residents each. Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Bangalore each have more than 5 million residents. And 35 metropolitan areas have populations exceeding 1 million, almost twice as many as in 1991. Since large cities are far more dependent on public transport than small cities, the need for public transport services has increased faster than overall population growth.
Moreover, the lack of effective planning and land-use controls has resulted in rampant sprawled development extending rapidly in all directions, far beyond old city boundaries into the distant countryside. That also has greatly increased the number and length of trips for most Indians, including those by public transport.
Most public policies in India actually encourage sprawl. In an explicit attempt to decongest city centers, government regulations limit the ratio of floor areas to land areas for buildings in the center, and thus restrict the heights of buildings and density of development in the center. For example, the so-called “floor space index” in sampled city centers in India was only 1.6, compared to indices ranging from 5 to 15 in other Asian city centers (Bertaud 2002; Padam and Singh 2001). By contrast, government regulations permit higher floor space/land area ratios in suburban developments, yet more inducement for firms to decentralize. Indeed, local governments even advertise the less stringent regulations in the suburbs to promote more development there. Such land-use policies obviously discourage development in the center and force both firms and residences to seek locations on the suburban fringe.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides an overview of public transport in India and a profile of MSRTC, defining the study’s research problem and framework.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW: This section reviews existing research on public transport challenges, service quality, TQM, and market niche strategies to establish a theoretical basis.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the research design, instruments used for data collection, and the sampling procedures applied in the Nagpur and Amravati divisions.
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: This section presents the statistical analysis of commuter and management feedback, utilizing Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to test hypotheses.
CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS, DISCUSSIONS, AND CONCLUSIONS: This chapter contextualizes study results against wider academic literature and confirms the study’s hypotheses.
CHAPTER 6: IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The final chapter offers actionable strategic recommendations for MSRTC to enhance financial viability and service quality.
Keywords
MSRTC, Public Transport, Maharashtra, Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, TQM, Niche Marketing, Operational Efficiency, Road Transport, Commuters, Structural Equation Modeling, Taxation, Transport Management, Infrastructure, Privatization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on analyzing the overall administration, management, and service quality of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to suggest a business model that improves profitability and service efficiency.
What are the key areas covered in this study?
Central themes include transport economics, TQM principles in the transit industry, niche marketing strategies for service improvement, and the impact of taxation on transport operation costs.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The primary goal is to investigate MSRTC bus transport service efficiency in terms of commuter satisfaction and to provide data-driven recommendations for network and operational upgrades.
Which methodology is adopted?
The study employs a descriptive, cross-sectional design, utilizing quantitative data collected through surveys from commuters and depot managers, analyzed via Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
What does the main body address?
It covers literature reviews regarding public transport in developing countries, specific challenges faced by MSRTC, TQM application principles, data analysis of commuter feedback, and structural modeling of service satisfaction variables.
Which keywords define this work?
Keywords include MSRTC, Public Transport, Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Total Quality Management (TQM), Niche Marketing, and Transport Efficiency.
How does the book address the MSRTC financial situation?
It discusses the impact of high taxation rates and the lack of automatic fare revision mechanisms, comparing MSRTC's operational cost burdens with other Indian states.
What role does Niche Marketing play in the suggestions?
The author argues for niche marketing strategies—such as travel time optimization, premium service classes, and alternative activity integration—to capture wider market segments and improve revenue.
- Quote paper
- Sagar Manjare (Author), 2022, The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) in the Competitive Era. The Life-Line of Maharashtra, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1256966
