Influence of tangible service quality on travellers' behavioural intentions in intercity bus transport in Tanzania: The mediating role of customer satisfaction

Kissa Benedict Killagane; Hawa Uiso; Salum Mohamed

doi:10.51867/ajernet.7.3.106

Authors

Kissa Benedict Killagane National Institute of Transport, 2Dar es Salaam Tumaini University, Tanzania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9013-6558
Hawa Uiso Dar es Salaam Tumaini University, Tanzania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7486-3226
Salum Mohamed The Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8259-1241

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.3.106

Keywords:

Intercity-bus tangibles, en-route Bus Stop tangibles, Travellers' Behavioural Intentions, Customer Satisfaction, bus terminal tangibles

Abstract

This study examined tangible service quality in Tanzania's intercity public road passenger transport (IPRPT) by assessing how physical conditions across intercity buses, bus terminals, and en-route bus stops contribute to overall tangible quality and influence travellers' behavioural intentions, with customer satisfaction as a mediator. Guided by service quality theory, the study used a deductive, explanatory, cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 516 passengers travelling from Dar es Salaam to four regions using a multistage sampling design and were analysed using PLS-SEM. The measurement model results confirmed adequate reliability and validity, and the lower-order dimensions contributed positively and significantly to overall tangible quality. Structurally, tangible quality positively influenced customer satisfaction (β = 0.450, p<0.01) and behavioural intentions (β = 0.583, p<0.001). Tangible quality also had a significant indirect effect on behavioural intentions through customer satisfaction (β = 0.262, p<0.001), indicating complementary partial mediation. The model explained 20.2% of the variance in customer satisfaction and 44.2% in behavioural intentions. The findings show that tangible quality in intercity public road transport is best understood as a travel-chain experience formed across buses, terminals and en-route stops. Improving these connected physical service environments can strengthen passenger satisfaction and support favourable behavioural intentions.

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