The popularity of electric vehicles offers the opportunity to analyze decision-making processes by examining user behavior. Determining the motivation of the user to use an innovation will guide decision-makers in supporting the innovation in question. This study investigates the factors electric car users in Türkiye consider based on the Technology Acceptance Model. A questionnaire was used to measure Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, and Intention to Use with the external factors of Subjective Norm, Compatibility, and Image. The relationships were analyzed with PLS-SEM established with the participation of 414 electric vehicle users. Subjective Norms and Image directly impact Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and Intention to Use. It has been determined that Compatibility has a direct effect on Ease of Use and an indirect effect on Usefulness and Intention. According to this study, in which most people are dissatisfied with charging and range issues, the opinion of the social environment and family is the most important external factor affecting intention. Our findings suggest improving the charging station network and technology, as well as implementing informative activities related to the features of electric vehicles, in order to contribute to users’ adoption of electric vehicles.

This paper presents the results of a survey conducted to measure the service quality of the high-speed railway system (HSRS) that operates between two cities in Turkey. The analysis had its basis in the impact score technique. The survey was prepared to ask users for satisfaction ratings of 61 attributes, which were constructed for the seven dimensions of service quality for public transportation systems: passenger information, fare level and type, accessibility, station environment, vehicle environment, service delivery, and security. Through analysis of the results, the most problematic areas of the service provided by the HSRS were determined. According to the model results, the operator of the system should provide enhancements especially in the seat design of the vehicles and also regarding the time and the frequency of the service provided.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations aim to eradicate poverty, protect the environment, and promote global prosperity by 2030. Within this framework, Goal 11 targets explicitly sustainable cities and communities, emphasizing the need for accessible, safe, and sustainable transportation systems for all individuals, including those with disabilities. However, despite these aspirations, individuals with disabilities often face unique challenges and barriers in accessing transportation services. This study delves into the complexities of transportation accessibility for people with disabilities, aiming to understand their perceptions and expectations of service quality regarding reliability, tangibles, cleanliness, safety, comfort, personnel, and stops. In a comprehensive survey involving 302 individuals with disabilities, data were collected considering strata such as visual impairment, hearing impairment, chronic illness, and physical disability. In the study where cluster analysis was applied to examine the common and unique assessments of individuals with disabilities, both demographic characteristics and transportation habits were evaluated to determine the most effective inputs. The optimal results were obtained using disability level, car ownership, access to stops, and frequency of service use, while the inclusion of other sociodemographic variables (such as age and income) negatively affected the quality of the clustering process. By analyzing service quality independently for each cluster, the study unveils potential variations in how people with disabilities perceive and evaluate transportation services. The findings shed light on the distinct evaluation approaches employed by people with disabilities based on their characteristics, highlighting the need for tailored transportation planning and policy-making solutions. For example, in the overall assessment of individuals with disabilities, vehicle ergonomics was not highlighted as an area for improvement, but it emerged as the aspect with the least satisfaction among individuals with higher levels of disability. By addressing these nuances, policymakers and stakeholders can better understand and meet the diverse needs of people with disabilities, contributing to the creation of more inclusive and accessible transportation systems in line with the SDGs.

Satisfaction and loyalty of passengers is important for a public transportation system provider especially if a competition exists between service providers. The factors affecting passenger satisfaction and loyalty must be determined by managers, operators, and decision makers. In this study, 900 passengers using High Speed Rail System between two cities (Ankara and Eskişehir) in Turkey were asked to rate their perceptions about the service they get. Their ratings are analyzed in terms of effects of factors on satisfaction and loyalty. The factors taken into consideration are service quality dimensions (which have ten sub-criteria), trust, perceived value, involvement, image, satisfaction and loyalty. Structural equation modeling is used to examine the direct and indirect relationships between these factors. Image is found effective on almost all factors analyzed: Perceived value, Trust, Satisfaction, Involvement and Loyalty. According to results, two important dimensions of service quality among ten dimensions came forward as most effective on satisfaction: Reliability and Interaction quality of personnel, which is found effective also on trust, satisfaction and involvement. On loyalty, the effective factors are found as perceived value, involvement, satisfaction and image.

Participation in employment, education and social life is a critical challenge for people with disabilities. In order to identify the difficulties that disabled people face throughout the day, it is necessary to understand their characteristics and problems realistically. In this study, the obstacles experienced by disabled passengers who prefer bus transportation to meet their transportation needs, especially in physically accessing the transportation system and obtaining information, were examined and focused on how these obstacles took shape during the pandemic period. In the study, within the framework of a semi-structured survey, 43 disabled passengers were asked to describe the entire process of bus services, from the stage of obtaining information about the journey to reaching the final destination. It was focused on what kind of additional obstacles were created to the experiences and difficulties experienced by disabled passengers during the pandemic precaution measures implemented in Istanbul. It has been determined that the pandemic period and subsequent measures have revealed many additional obstacles, such as psychological distress, for disabled passengers, and that the society should be made aware of the unique characteristics of disabled people (for example, disability is not just a physical issue) and other concerns. One of the results of the study is that service providers and decision makers should consider a more detailed approach depending on the type of disability in the decision-making process.

Pamukkale University Journal of Engineering Sciences