The Impact of Traveler Preferences on Regional Public Transport Concession Policy in the Netherlands
D.E.B. Wolfrat (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
W.W. Veeneman – Mentor (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)
N. van Oort – Mentor (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
Fabian Wegewijs – Mentor (Movares)
Richard Savenije – Mentor (Movares)
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Abstract
This study examines how traveler preferences can be measured and applied in Dutch regional public transport concession policy. A structured PRISMA literature review, interviews with nine regional public transport authorities and a fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) were used to identify combinations of traveler preference sources and contextual conditions associated with higher ridership growth and traveler satisfaction. The results show that survey-based approaches are positively associated with both outcomes, while direct participatory approaches are negatively associated with improvements in ridership and traveler satisfaction. However, these findings require careful interpretation, as participatory approaches may primarily benefit specific traveler groups whose interests are not reflected in system-level performance indicators. Data-based approaches are widely embedded in concession management, but showed insufficient variation to assess their separate effect. The research further indicate that the impact of traveler preference sources is not direct: traveler input is filtered, interpreted, and combined with political, operational, and strategic considerations before influencing policy decisions. Overall, from the perspective of the broader traveler population, representative survey-based approaches appear most suitable for improving ridership and traveler satisfaction, while their effectiveness remains dependent on the wider concession context and regional characteristics.