Analysis of passenger perception heterogeneity and differentiated service strategy for air-rail intermodal travel

Air-rail intermodal services (ARISs) represent a highly promising multimodal solution within the transportation sector. Nonetheless, various uncertainties and challenges persist across multiple dimensions of air-rail interline travel, with discrepancies in passenger perceptions being a notable aspect. In an effort to pinpoint the pivotal factors contributing to these disparities among distinct passenger profiles, this study employs the Structural Equation Modeling-Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause-Artificial Neural Network (SEM-MIMIC-ANN) methodology. This approach explores the impact of numerous attributes on passenger perceptions in the context of air-rail intermodal travel, leveraging questionnaire data gathered from Shijiazhuang multimodal passengers. Furthermore, the study utilizes the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) decision tree algorithm to categorize actual passengers into distinct characteristic groups. Subsequently, the perception levels of these diverse passenger groups are quantified through the calculation of comprehensive evaluation function values. In conclusion, taking into account the real-world conditions of air-rail interline travel, this research formulates a tailored service strategy aimed at enhancing the overall passenger experience.