A Study on Waiting Time of Customers in Petrol Bunks in Madurai District

Abstract

Waiting in line has become an unavoidable aspect of modern life, and petrol bunks are no exception. Long queues not only inconvenience customers but also reduce operational efficiency and damage service reputation. This study examines customer waiting times at petrol bunks in Madurai District using a queuing theory approach. Data were collected during peak hours over two days from a stratified sample of four stations, covering 959 customer arrivals. Arrival and service times were analysed under the M/M/c model, which assumes Poisson arrivals, exponential service times, and multiple service channels. Key performance measures such as traffic intensity, idle probability, average queue length, and waiting times were computed. The findings show that both high arrival intensity and service inefficiency contribute to delays. Bunk 1 demonstrated relatively efficient performance, while Bunks 3 and 4 exhibited slower service rates and Bunk 2 was more constrained by demand. Although average waiting times in queue were short in absolute terms, their cumulative effect during peak hours is significant. The study recommends improving service efficiency, optimising pump allocation, and adopting technology-enabled queue management to minimise waiting. These insights highlight how queuing models can guide petrol bunk managers in balancing customer satisfaction with operational efficiency.