IJDS 2024. Vol. 11 No. December 2024, pp. P-ISSN: 2355-2158, e-ISSN: 2654-4148 DOI: 10. 21776/ub. Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia: A Case of Jakarta Husnul Fitri. University of Indonesia. Indonesia Diah Rini Lesmawati. Ministry of Social Affairs. Indonesia Abstract Corresponding author: Husnul Fitri, hufi50@gmail. Article history: Received: 2/3/2024 Revised: 2/9/2024 Received: 18/11/2024 Published online at Copyright A 2024 Author. Licensed under CC BY-NC While there have been numerous studies on travel satisfaction with public transportation in various countries, fewer have focused on inclusive groups, such as persons with disabilities in Indonesia, who heavily rely on public transportation. Understanding the travel satisfaction of persons with disabilities can be a crucial reference for improving public transportation services that meet their mobility needs. Therefore, this study aims to determine the travel satisfaction of persons with disabilities regarding public transportation in Jakarta, using the widely accepted Satisfaction to Travel (STS) measurement scale. This scale has been used extensively in transportation studies to assess travel satisfaction. The results of this study indicated that person with disabilities experienced high levels of travel satisfaction when using public transportation related to the variety of travel modes and duration despite their longer travel duration. This result will not only reveal the satisfaction levels of persons with disabilities with public transportation but also provide valuable insights for enhancing public transportation services in Jakarta. Keywords: Accessibility. Transportation. Travel Satisfaction. Disability. Urban Access Research Background Studies on travel satisfaction are currently arising to understand the travel behavior of the general population (De Vos et al. , 2. The investigations proved valuable in identifying factors contributing to travel satisfaction and evaluating the ability of public transportation to meet traveling needs. This information is also crucial as several studies showed that public transportation frequently received lower satisfaction scores compared to private vehicles, specifically private cars (De Vos et al. , 2016. Ettema et al. Morris & Guerra, 2. Moreover, public transportation should serve as the primary mode of transportation to facilitate travel and reduce the adverse impacts of high private vehicles, such as congestion and pollution. The exploration of travel satisfaction offers insights into the assessment of public transportation evaluation. This plays a vital role in identifying significant factors contributing to travel satisfaction. Travel satisfaction not only facilitates adequate mobility but can also reflect positive perceptions in various aspects of life (Ettema et al. Studies have shown that travel perceptions and experiences are related to 158 | Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies psychological well-being, mental health, and decisions regarding where to live and work (Farinloye et al. , 2019. Mokhtarian & Pendyala, 2018. Singleton, 2. , as well as life satisfaction (Ettema et al. , 2. In line with that, many studies indicated that persons with disabilities use public transportation as their primary travel mode (Amin et al. , 2021. Bascom & Christensen. Bezyak et al. , 2017. Stancliffe, 2014. Zhang et al. , 2. However, the planning and design processes often neglect the perspective and participation of persons with disabilities in developing accessible and appropriate inclusive public transportation (Park & Chowdhury, 2. Knowledge of the mobility patterns and behaviors of persons with disabilities can be an essential input to designing inclusive transportation policies and planning according to the needs of persons with disabilities. Moreover, transportation is a crucial issue for persons with disabilities. thus, effective public transportation planning can significantly enhance their mobility, improve economic welfare, and reduce social exclusion (Rosenbloom, 2. Unfortunately, studies on travel satisfaction have not adequately reached marginalized groups, mainly persons with disabilities in developing countries (Mongaji & Nguyen, 2. In general, developing countries lag significantly behind developed nations in conducting studies on persons with disabilities in transportation, a situation occured in Indonesia (Bombom & Abdullahi, 2016. Mongaji & Nguyen, 2. This study aimed to investigate the travel satisfaction of persons with disabilities when using public transportation in Jakarta, the main city of Indonesia. As a central city. Jakarta has a diverse network of public transportation modes, ranging from conventional to modern. This diversity provides persons with disabilities with various transportation options to enhance their mobility. However, no study has examined the travel satisfaction of persons with disabilities in Jakarta. Literature Review 1 Satisfaction to Travel Travel satisfaction is generally assessed through two perspectives, i. , utility-based mode choice models and subjective well-being (SWB). In the mode choice model approach, satisfaction is a utility derived from the transportation mode selection (Ettema et al. , 2. Consequently, travel satisfaction depends on the decision to choose the transportation mode. However, this perspective fails to elucidate the difference in satisfaction among various modes, showing that low utility can only partially explain individual experience with a particular transportation mode. Conversely, travel satisfaction is a determinant factor influencing attitudes and choices of transportation modes, with negative or positive attitudes toward specific modes shaping individual preferences (De Vos, 2. Therefore, the utility approach is considered inappropriate for describing individual satisfaction. Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia | 159 The SWB approach describes travel satisfaction as a form of individual experience and evaluation (De Vos, 2. In this case, the components of travel satisfaction consist of emotional and cognitive elements that contribute to evaluation during travel. general, perceptions and evaluations of travel are predominantly influenced by many variables such as travel duration, transfer time, and transfer walking time (Chowdhury & Ceder, 2. Longer travel duration tends to correlate with lower travel satisfaction (Higgins et al. , 2018. Morris & Guerra, 2015. Zhu & Fan, 2. , while travel distance can elicit both positive and negative satisfaction, depending on the purpose of the trip (De Vos et al. , 2016. Schneider & Willman, 2. Traveling using public transportation differs from private vehicles as individuals are not actively engaged as drivers. The former provides the ability to undertake various activities, generally contributing to passenger satisfaction (Mokhtarian et al. , 2. According to Ettema et al. , these activities include entertainment like listening to music, reading, relaxing, enjoying scenery, as well as completing tasks and chatting. With current technological advancements, people can use devices like smartphones and laptops to read, play games, listen to music, and complete office or college assignments However, the mindset associated with the purpose of travel profoundly influences travel satisfaction (Ettema et al. , 2. rather than activities during travel. For instance, people with a positive attitude toward their daily work experience have greater travel satisfaction when traveling for work. In addition, satisfaction is a crucial factor that motivates individual willingness to switch to their preferred mode of transportation (Abou-Zeid & Ben-Akiva, 2. because satisfaction with a specific mode of transportation can lead to increased frequency of use (De Vos & Witlox, 2017. Lai & Chen, 2. Although SWB has been widely accepted as a reference to predict travel satisfaction, limited studies have been found in Indonesia using this perspective . ee Rizki et al. , 2019. Sukwandi et al. , 2. In addition, no travel satisfaction studies based on SWB involving persons with disabilities have been measured until now. 2 Persons with Disabilities and Public Transportation in Jakarta Currently, the global estimate of persons with disabilities is 1. 3 billion, constituting approximately 16% of the world population (WHO, 2. In Indonesia, the proportion of adults with disabilities aged 18-59 has reached 22% (BPS, 2. , a percentage also reflected in Jakarta at 22. 1% (BPS, 2. Studies have shown that persons with disabilities tend to use public transportation, particularly buses, followed by ride-hailing services (Behrens & Gorgens, 2019. Bezyak et , 2017. Deka, 2014. Hwang et al. , 2020. Kett et al. , 2020. Rosenbloom, 2. although a recent qualitative study from Fitri . found that ride-hailing services were more popular for women with disabilities in Jakarta for their daily travel. The economical choice of public transportation provides cost-effective and affordable transportation services for persons with disabilities, particularly with the fact that most of them live in harsh 160 | Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies economic conditions. Therefore, barriers to public transportation can lead to a reduction in trips (Wong, 2. , specifically when there is no private vehicle or alternative transportation, either due to economic constraints or physical barriers. Common challenges faced by persons with disabilities in public transportation are generally related to accessibility (Low et al. , 2020. Park & Chowdhury, 2018. Park et al. Shen et al. , 2. Accessibility issues include lacking disability-friendly transportation facilities, infrastructure, and services. Moreover, access to public transportation plays significant role in supporting active mobility and enhancing quality of life and social interaction (Calle et al. , 2. Negative perception is another barrier faced by persons with disabilities in public Many studies have confirmed that persons with disabilities receive unpleasant experiences when traveling on public transportation (Calle et al. , 2021. Fitri. Negative attitudes shown by drivers and other passengers toward persons with disabilities affect their self-confidence and increase the anxiety of persons with disabilities (Lubitow et al. , 2017. Nordbakke, 2. , which could lead them to reduce their mobility or avoid using certain public transportation options. On the other hand, public transportation in Jakarta for daily commutes generally consists of road- and rail-based options, regulated by Law Number 22 of 2009 on Road Traffic and Transportation. This law categorizes road-based public transportation into route and non-routed motorized transportation. Routed transportation adheres to fixed routes and schedules, with designated pick-up and drop-off points like stations, bus stops, and terminals. Conversely, non-routed motorcycle transportation offers flexible schedules and routes tailored to the travel destination of passengers. This can be related to the paratransit system in the United States, designed for groups facing challenges in accessing public transportation. Road-based public transportation in Jakarta consists of various modes, namely Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), popularly known as TransJakarta or Busway. regular medium-sized buses (Kopaja or Metromin. and minibuses known as angkutan kota . ngkot for shor. and microbuses. Angkot often serves smaller routes, including residential streets, while traditional minibus modes, known as bemo, cater to short distances. Rail-based public transportation in Jakarta includes electric railways (KRL or commuter line. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), and Light Rail Transit (LRT). Non-routed public transportation primarily consists of taxis, motorcycle taxis, and Motorcycle taxis, known as ojek, are very popular and can be booked online, referred to as online ojek . bbreviated as ojo. to differentiate it from regular ojek. Similarly, using taxis based on online booking has elevated popularity over regular taxis. Meanwhile, bajaj is a motorcycle-based rickshaw uniquely found in specific locations in Jakarta. Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia | 161 Methods 1 Participants Reaching out to persons with disabilities on a massive scale was a common challenge in disability studies. In this study. The National Public Accessibility Movement . national NGO for inclusive accessibilit. helped distribute the questionnaires to persons with disabilities in Jakarta. Participants were limited to individuals with sensory . isual and auditor. and physical . disabilities, aged 17-60 years old, living or working in Jakarta, and regularly using public transportation in daily commuting. Questionnaires were administered online by sharing them with several social media groups of persons with disabilities from July to August 2023. 2 Measurements The assessment of travel satisfaction used the Satisfaction with Travel Scale (STS) measuring instrument, which had become increasingly prevalent for gauging individual satisfaction during travel. According to De Vos & Witlox . , travel satisfaction can be categorized into trip satisfaction and daily travel satisfaction. Trip satisfaction reflects the emotional experience and cognitive evaluation during travel. Meanwhile, satisfaction with daily travel indicates an individual level of satisfaction with both commuting and leisure trips. De Vos & Witlox . also stated that STS can effectively measure both aspects of travel satisfaction. Ettema et al. developed STS to measure travel-related subjective well-being (SWB). It also has various versions adopted by Friman et al. Olsson et . Singleton . , and Westman et al. However, those numerous versions commonly have two similar dimensions and items: the affective and the cognitive. The affective dimension includes six affective evaluation items covering positive deactivation/negative activation and positive activation/negative deactivation. Each subscale presents two poles with a certain score range . or example, 1 to 7 or 1 to . Meanwhile, the cognitive dimension consists of three statement items containing cognitive assessments on the same scale range (Table . In line with those dimensions, participants were instructed to provide affective and cognitive assessments on a semantic differential scale form when using public transportation. The reliability of STS, measured by Cronbach alpha, yielded significant results, scoring 0. 94 for overall STS, 0. 84 for positive deactivation/negative activation subscale, 0. 87 for positive activation/negative deactivation subscale, and 0. 88 for cognitive scale. 162 | Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies Table 1 The Satisfaction with Travel Scale Items (Ettema et al. , 2. Affective Dimension Cognitive Dimension Positive deactivation - negative activation Travel was worst . Ae best I can think of . Time pressed . - relaxed . Travel was low . Ae high standard . Worried . - confident . Travel worked poorly . Ae worked well . Stressed . - calm . Positive activation - negative deactivation Tired . - alert . Bored . - enthusiastic . Fed up . - engaged . In addition to assessing travel satisfaction using STS, participants were questioned on daily travel activities, including frequency of weekly trips, average daily travel duration, number of different modes of public transportation, and the predominant type of public transportation. STS scale and other questions were compiled in one questionnaire distributed online. Results Table 2 Participant Characteristics Socio-demographics Variables Gender Age Frequency A A A A A A A Type of disabilities Occupation Educational level Assistive Device A A A A A A A A A A Male Female 17 - 27 28 - 38 39 - 49 50 - 60 Sensory: -visual -auditory Physical . Full time Part-time Freelance Unemployed Not attending school/drop out Primary High school Diploma & Undergraduate Yes 19 . This study engaged a total of 58 participants with disabilities. Table 2 shows the characteristics of participants, who were predominantly women . 2%), aged between 28-38 years . 1%), and had physical disabilities . 7%). Participants were generally employed full-time or freelancing, with high school and diploma/graduate education Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia | 163 More than half of participants . 1%) used assistive devices for their daily Table 3 Participants' Travel Characteristics Gender Type of Disabilities Trip Frequency per week Trip Duration* Visual Auditory Mobility Visual Auditory Mobility *average duration to reach destination **number of transportation modes used by participants in daily trip Male Female < 1 hrs 1-2 hrs 3 hrs > 3hrs Number of Transportation Mode Variation** Making a balanced comparison to discern travel characteristic differences between men and women with disabilities proved challenging due to the predominance of women with physical disabilities as participants. However. Table 3 shows that men with visual disabilities typically travel 1-2 times per week, spending 1-2 hours per trip and using two different modes of transportation. For individuals with auditory disabilities, men generally traveled 1-2 times per week, while women traveled 6-7 weekly, each lasting 1-2 hours and comprising two transportation modes. A similar trend was observed for individuals with motor disabilities regarding trip frequency and duration. Women with physical disabilities exhibited a broader range of transportation modes, using one to four modes of transportation with a tendency to use one same mode or two different modes On the other hand, participants predominantly used BRT TransJakarta for daily trips, followed by online ojek and KRL, as shown in Figure 1. Participants did not widely use conventional modes like buses, taxis, regular ojek, and bajaj/bemo, with angkot being an exception. 164 | Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies BRT TransJakarta Online ojek KRL train Online taxi Angkot . MRT Bajaj/bemo Regular ojek Regular taxi Regular bus (Kopaja/Metromin. Figure 1 Public Transportation Modes Usage Meanwhile, the measurement of travel satisfaction with public transportation indicated high participant contentment (M = 4. SD = 1. Similar results were found in each dimension: cognitive (M = 4. SD = 1. and affective (M = 4. SD = 1. According to these results, persons with disabilities perceived their travel experiences with public transportation had been delivered well and met the standard. They also felt relaxed and energized during travel. Furthermore, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) using SPSS software was conducted on age, trip duration, and the number of public transportation modes to analyze factors influencing travel satisfaction (Table . since these three variables significantly influenced trip satisfaction in previous Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia | 165 Tabel 4 MANOVA for Age. Trip Duration and Number of Transportation Mode Variation Satisfaction to Travel (STS) Measure Global Affective Evaluation Cognitive Evaluation Age Trip duration Number of n mode Age * Trip Age * Number of n mode Trip duration * Number of n mode Age * Trip Number of n mode A MANOVA yielded a significant main effect for the global STS and STS's affective evaluation. F . = 3. 874, p < . 05 based on trip duration. However, the main effect of STS's cognitive evaluation was nonsignificant. F . = 2. 301, p < . In addition, the main effect of age to STS and all its dimension was nonsignificant. The result also indicated a significant main effect for the number of transportation mode variations to global STS F. = 3. p < . STS's cognitive evaluation. = 3. 655, p < . STS's affective evaluation. = 3. 687, p < . 05 These meant that there were differences of general travel satisfaction and affective evaluation because of trip duration and number of intermodal transportations. Furthermore, post hoc testing using Bonferroni indicated that global STS were significantly lower for less than one hour . = . and more than three hours trip duration . = . than for three hours. Similar significant results also occurred to STS's affective evaluation to less than one hour . = . and more than three hours trip duration . = 166 | Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies . compared to three hours. Post hoc testing was not conducted on the transportation mode variations variable because a group of values had fewer than two cases. Figure 2 shows several shortcomings and challenges in using public transportation. A prevalent concern was the extended travel time imposed by public transportation, necessitating detours or transfers to reach the destination. Another challenge was the insufficient accessibility at transit stops/places, including inadequate sidewalk infrastructure for accommodating wheelchairs and the absence of guiding blocks. Similar constraints persisted with facilities at bus stops/transit points that did not fully support persons with disabilities. Longer trip duration to reach destination Difficulties to reach the bus stop/terminal/transit point Inadequate bus stop/terminal/transit point Less comfortable vehicle Unavailable bus stops/terminal/transit point near home Inadequate number of vehicle Longer trip distance to reach destination Inadequate vehicle facilities Unclear guidance and wayfinding for disabilities Figure 2 Barrier to Public Transportation Modes Discussion This study showed that persons with disabilities were quite mobile based on the frequency of trips per week. Many participants were full-time and part-time workers instead of the unemployed and freelancers. An increase in employment encouraged commuting trips, mobility, and productivity. This positive trend reflected potential improvements in the welfare and self-actualization of persons with disabilities. Therefore, the urgency and significance of ongoing enhancements and widespread implementation of transportation policies supporting their mobility were essential for ensuring high travel satisfaction and improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities. The travel duration of persons with disabilities tended to be longer despite active travel frequency. In contrast to persons without disabilities, who typically travel for 30-60 minutes (BPS, 2. , persons with disabilities often require 1-2 hours for a single trip. This characteristic was supported by various studies revealing the prolonged travel duration Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia | 167 of persons with disabilities (Brucker & Rollins, 2019. Jansuwan et al. , 2013. Marquez et al. These challenges could result because of characteristics established from the condition of disabilities, such as the inability to walk faster for persons with physical disabilities who use assistive devices and the lack of adequate accessibility in transportation facilities designed to fit the mobility needs of persons with disabilities. There was also multiple transportation mode usage, requiring switches between modes and further contributing to extended travel durations. Investigations have shown that persons with disabilities rely on public transportation (Bascom & Christensen, 2017. Brumbaugh, 2018. Zhang et al. , 2. support of the result, the current study showed that BRT TransJakarta was the most used mode of public transportation. This finding was expected as TransJakarta, which has been operating since 2004, was designed to offer efficient, affordable, fast, and accessible public transportation for all demographic groups. The mode also offered supplementary services for persons with disabilities, such as specialized feeder transportation available for a direct order to transfer the passengers to the nearest stop. Special cards were also provided for persons with disabilities to use the TransJakarta service at no cost. This study also found that online ojek, a ride-hailing services or paratransit type, was the second most popular transportation mode for persons with disabilities. This result aligns with several studies that shown a tendency among persons with disabilities to use non-routed public transportation modes despite the widespread use of mass and routed public transportation (Bascom & Christensen, 2017. Brumbaugh, 2018. Zhang et al. , 2. This inclination originated from persisting barriers for persons with disabilities in conventional public transportation, including issues related to accessibility and travel Therefore, online ojek provided an alternative mode of public transportation that catered to the needs of persons with disabilities, offering door-to-door service. Therefore, this transportation mode provided substantial potential for further development as the primary mode of transportation for persons with disabilities. A critical finding from this study was that persons with disabilities showed high levels of travel satisfaction when using public transportation related to the variety of travel modes and duration. This finding contrasted with previous studies on samples of persons without disabilities who generally reported lower satisfaction with public transportation than private vehicles (De Vos et al. , 2016. Ettema et al. , 2012. Morris & Guerra, 2. The high level of satisfaction could explain the preference of persons with disabilities for public transportation, which is considered cheaper and faster than private transportation (Fitri, 2. Nevertheless, persons with disabilities show that satisfaction does not always correlate with travel duration, as many studies have stressed that longer travel duration will impact lower travel satisfaction (Higgins et al. , 2018. Morris & Guerra. Zhu & Fan, 2. However, travel motivation can be the reason for their level of satisfaction, where persons with disabilities succeeded in developing positive feelings toward trips, which eventually shaped their experiences with public transportation. 168 | Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies The diverse range of transportation modes involves transferring or switching modes of travel for persons with disabilities during their daily commute, leading to challenges that could impact travel satisfaction. Studies have shown that passengers tend to negatively assess mode-switching during travel (Guo & Wilson, 2007. Park & Chowdhury. Therefore, two recommendations are proposed for policymakers in public transportation planning to overcome these issues. Firstly, comprehensive planning should focus on supporting integrated public transportation facilities and services, minimizing the need for transfers, particularly for persons with disabilities. The Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policy involving persons with disabilities in the planning process should become new practice to ensure the implementation of compact mobility. Secondly, transportation planning should prioritize the development of intermodal transfer facilities and services to create a positive experience for passengers. This condition included minimizing the burden and negative perceptions of the transfer process by creating unique and vibrant TOD areas, reducing transfer duration and distance, providing feeders for persons with disabilities to transfer between modes or reach destination locations, as well as incorporating other facilities that enhanced positive mobility. Travel duration had a significant influence on satisfaction when using public Participants with travel durations under one hour and over three hours had lower satisfaction levels than those traveling for three hours. Trips lasting more than three hours resulted in decreased satisfaction due to the extended duration, identified as a primary challenge in public transportation. In this context, trip duration comprises various activities, including time spent in the vehicle, waiting, and transferring, all contributing to the trip perception (Iseki & Taylor, 2. All of those contribute affective to experience both positive and negative to travel duration satisfaction. But what could explain the lower satisfaction for travel durations under one hour compared to three hours? This condition might be attributed to the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, specifically those relying on assistive devices, in making transfers during shorter trips. In addition, being on short-duration trips might not provide sufficient rest time after traveling on public transportation. This context could be related to Mokhtarian et al. , revealing that commuters using public transportation generally preferred slightly longer journey times over excessively short durations, as it allowed for self-contemplation . , relaxing and restin. during the journey. Therefore, further in-depth analysis was still required to draw precise conclusions. Conclusion Travel satisfaction offered novel insights into the perception and evaluation of public transportation of persons with disabilities during traveling. However, this satisfaction should be distinct from assessing public transportation performance, as the current study had a different perspective. Instead, the assessment of satisfaction, as Travel Satisfaction of Persons with Disabilities in Metropolitan Indonesia | 169 measured by the STS tool, provided a holistic overview of the well-being of persons with disabilities when using public transportation. The mobility of persons with disabilities is a crucial factor affecting general wellbeing, necessitating adequate support from public transportation infrastructure and The results showed an active travel frequency among persons with disabilities, with modern bus transportation modes like TransJakarta and online ojek services as the primary mode of travel. However, several challenges, including prolonged trip duration and insufficient facilities, needed improvement. Persons with disabilities generally experience travel satisfaction when using public transportation, as influenced by both trip duration and the variety of transportation modes used. However, these results should not be solely used as a reference for evaluating public transportation performance. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of travel satisfaction of persons with disabilities in public transportation still needs to be explored. Although this study provided valuable insights into travel satisfaction with public transportation, future research should be conducted with a larger sample size involving multiple types of disabilities, considering other transaction-related factors to examine more comprehensive conclusions and exploring travel motivation of persons with disabilities will be an advantage to provide deep analysis of travel satisfaction. However, current research could also offer valuable input for government and stakeholders in planning inclusive public transportation policies, ensuring that the mobility needs of persons with disabilities are met while continually improving travel satisfaction. Bibliography