Purpose - Transport is a common constant variable found in just about every aspect of our lives as well as commercial activities; this is so because transport enables accessibility to people, places and goods. The effective management of public passenger transport operations is a more complex and all-embracing concept than what it may appear at first glance. Wider dispersed work place locations and urban sprawl is on the rise driven by among other factors the increased rate of globalisation. A unique opportunity is then presented in a developing country like South Africa for effective planning and management of public passenger bus operations. In the main, the purpose of this case study research was to develop a more sustainable public passenger transport bus operation to better connect people, places and goods. The organisation that will be studied is Blunden Coach Tours a luxury and semi-lux coach Tour operator, operating from the Nelson Mandela Bay. Design / Methodology / Approach – This study employed the case study research approach which was based on the qualitative research paradigm as such allowed for in-depth description and analysis of the case as well as related phenomena in real world context. The researcher focused only on the public passenger bus transport operations in Nelson Mandela Bay thus assuming a single context focus with a single case namely the development of a more sustainable public passenger transport operations in Nelson Mandela Bay. An embedded multiple unit of analysis strategy was employed selecting a sample of key persons responsible for strategic operational areas at Blunden Coach tours, sub-contractors and suppliers. The case study employed an in-depth probing interview process in an effort to better comprehend occurrences within the actual context of the events observed. The secondary sources of information gathered were used to structure and backup the interview questions. Practical implications – The case study enabled thought provoking insight which by virtue of South Africa’s historical socio-economic landscape offered an unusual perspective of the South African bus transport scene with a particular focus on environmental, regulatory and socio-economic sustainability considerations. A limitation to the study – The lack of responses to the interview questions from some of the key role players in the bus industry who were contacted as well as some of the respondents interviewed. The lack of responses to some of the interview questions could be perceived as a limitation to validating the Summary drawn from the study.

The aim of this survey is to evaluate the quality of customer service delivery offered by the East London public transport commuter rail service provider Metrorail, a division of the state owned enterprise (SOE) PRASA. The former tolerant rail commuter has become increasingly frustrated at the ever-decreasing quality of rail service delivery. This is evidenced by increasing incidents of commuter arson to failed rail assets and the practice is considered to be a strategy to enforce the replacement of unreliable infrastructure and ineffective/reactive management controls. The objectives of the research are guided by three fundamental service quality indicators. In order to evaluate these indicators, the research focuses on whether the quality of customer services provided by Metrorail meets commuter expectations, whether commuters rank five dimensions of service quality differently and whether the level of service quality provided is perceived differently amongst the various demographic commuter segments. Service organizations which are highly interactive, labour-intensive, reliant on a number of service providers, required to perform at various locations and have high intensity/volume operations, will be susceptible to failure; Metrorail services fall into this category. The legacy of the apartheid era regime and strategy resulted in poor rail planning and underfunding. Commuter rail operations in South Africa are fraught with a myriad of inadequacies of the past that only now manifest. As a consequence, their ability to operate effectively and efficiently is impaired. The situation is further exacerbated by the global economic crisis of 2008 and the impact of constricted budget allocations by the State to all SOE's which could further impede the interventions and innovation required to improve service quality. The in-depth literature review provided sufficient information relating to a wide array of service organizations similar in nature to Metrorail. This information is translated into useable knowledge and recommendations from which Metrorail can benefit. The research methodology is clearly articulated and the data analysis ensures distinct findings which are discussed in the final chapter. The research undertaken identifies and prioritises the service quality attributes and dimensions that will require redress to improve overall service quality. The findings are clearly defined from which a set of recommendations are suggested.