From hall to hub: how NTU campus buses influence hall residents' quality of life

Abstract

Transport studies have been concerned about the relationship between transport accessibility and quality of life (QOL). With scholars often focusing on macro- and meso-level analysis, the subjective experience of individuals is sometimes overlooked. In particular, university students are key users of public transport despite remaining an under-researched demographic in Singapore. This paper explores the influence of perceived accessibility on university students’ QOL through campus bus services. The exploratory surveys and semi-structured interviews reveal that transport service exerts the most impact on health-related QOL, with functionality and information contributing the most to overall QOL. Furthermore, Bourdieu’s social capital theory and Putnam’s social networks theory reveal the sociological implications of transport accessibility on leisure-related QOL. This paper concludes by proposing our contribution to the existing literature, with suggestions for future research.