A Hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach for Vehicle Selection of Public Buses: A Case Study of Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

           Objectives: 1) To investigate the factors influencing the decision to use public buses among both operators and passengers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and 2) To apply the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for selecting the most appropriate public bus option in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

           Method: This study employed a mixed-methods research approach. The sample was divided into two groups: 1) 6 public bus operators within the Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality, selected through purposive sampling, and 2) 250 passengers, selected through convenience sampling. The research instruments consisted of a questionnaire for factor selection, a pairwise comparison weighting form, and a qualitative factor rating form. All instruments were validated for content validity using the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) and for reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to determine the importance weights of the factors, while the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to rank the optimal alternatives for each sample group.

           Results: Research findings revealed that the calculation of the importance weights of the factors using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) indicated that passengers attached the highest priority to promotion, whereas operators predominantly focused on product and price. Moreover, based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), the most suitable option for passengers was the electric bus, while the electric-converted bus emerged as the best choice for operators.