Assessment of train passengers’ pre- and post-boarding behaviors and insights into platform and carriage design, preference, and satisfaction
Creators: name: Yang, Jie
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 350907
subject: Rail transportation and freight services
classificationCode: 400512
subject: Transport engineering

description: Rail transportation is widely acknowledged as an efficient and sustainable mode of transport. As train travel continues to grow in popularity, it has become increasingly important to understand how passengers interact with platform and carriage design features. Despite the many efforts to improve public transportation services in modern cities, there is still a lack of understanding of how design features affect passenger behaviours, perceptions and preferences. Conversely, how passengers respond and interact with different design features is not fully understood. This lack of understanding can lead to less effective design solutions that do not fully meet the needs and expectations of train passengers.

The study begins with a thorough review of the literature, highlighting the factors influencing passenger behaviours, perceptions and design preferences. It reveals a lack of understanding about the factors influencing passengers’ decisions before and after boarding. In addition, there is a lack of frameworks that systematically evaluate passenger behaviours, perceptions and preferences. Efforts have primarily focused on monitoring passenger flow and assessing satisfaction levels based on service quality, which is insufficient to provide a comprehensive evaluation. Therefore, a new framework is designed and tested with the survey data.

This study proposes six research questions that aim to investigate various aspects of passenger behaviours, perceptions and preferences, as well as their relationship with train and platform design. A systematic approach is proposed for assessing passenger behaviours, perceptions and preferences to address the research gap. The conceptual framework comprises four domains, which help break down the overall assessment into manageable components. The first domain gathers information about traveller and trip characteristics, including demographics and trip frequency, to identify factors influencing passenger experiences. The second domain examines general behaviours and perceptions before and after boarding, providing insights into passengers’ overall travel experience. The third domain evaluates passengers’ responses to different design features on trains and platforms, helping identify crucial design elements that affect passengers’ travel experiences. The fourth domain explores passengers’ perceptions of service quality and overall satisfaction, using these insights to improve the overall passenger experience.

Collecting information from all four domains is vital to achieve a complete understanding of passenger experiences and inform strategies for optimising rail operations and enhancing customer satisfaction. This study developed an original passenger survey tailored to gather data on various aspects of train passengers’ experiences. The survey was conducted online in March 2021 targeting Melbourne Metro train users. The survey serves multiple purposes, including understanding passengers’ characteristics and trip details, capturing passengers’ behaviours on the platform and in the carriage, identifying preferences for interior and platform design features, collecting opinions on existing services and uncovering the reasons behind passengers’ riding decisions. By utilising the questionnaire survey, the research can collect data from a significant sample size of train users in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

The methodology employed in this study involves integrating various statistical techniques to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the survey data. Descriptive statistics provide initial insights into the data, enabling a better understanding of train users’ characteristics, trip characteristics and opinions. T-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) are employed to examine variations in the perceptions and preferences between different subgroups. Correlation analysis helps identify potential factors that may influence passengers’ behaviours and perceptions as well as overall satisfaction. These analytical methods allow patterns within the data to be identified, enabling a deeper understanding of the research questions. The insights gained from the analysis will contribute to answering the research questions and provide valuable information for proposing strategies and interventions aimed at enhancing the user experience.

The assessment of pre-boarding behaviours reveals some general behaviour patterns and the correlations between passenger characteristics and behaviours. For instance, senior passengers experience fewer delays and confusion about boarding lines, while passengers with larger items are more likely to choose alternative paths. These insights aid in designing facilities and services that cater to diverse passenger needs. Furthermore, the assessment of post-boarding behaviours highlights the importance of balanced passenger distribution among carriages and strategies to encourage passengers to move further into the train. Preferences for standing/sitting are influenced by factors such as travel frequency, group travel and carrying large items. Designing onboard areas with stable surfaces for standing passengers and improving carriage connections can enhance passenger comfort and satisfaction.

The study also explores passenger perceptions and preferences for train and platform design. Findings indicate a preference for a 2 + 2 seating arrangement and vertical pole handholds. Additionally, passengers prioritise clear signage, real-time occupancy data and wider aisles. Demographic factors such as gender and age group influence preferences for seat removal and platform gap perceptions. Understanding these variations is crucial for rail operators and train manufacturers to tailor their offerings to different passenger segments.

Finally, the study evaluates the relationship between passenger satisfaction and various travel experience attributes. Regression models confirm a linear relationship between overall satisfaction and traveller, trip, service and other attributes. Service attributes are the most significant predictors of overall satisfaction, followed by other attributes, traveller attributes and trip attributes. Recognising the importance of these attributes can help improve service quality and enhance the overall passenger experience.
In conclusion, this research provides a comprehensive overview of passenger behaviours, perceptions and preferences related to train and platform design. The findings contribute to the understanding of key factors influencing passenger experiences, informing the development of strategies and interventions to optimise transportation systems and improve customer satisfaction.
 
This research offers a theoretical contribution by proposing a systematic approach to evaluating passenger behaviour and provides several practical implications. By understanding what passengers want and need from their train journeys, operators can develop new services, features and amenities that enhance the passenger experience and make train travel a more attractive option. Ultimately, by systematically assessing passenger behaviour, service providers can create more customer-centred services that meet their passengers’ needs, improve satisfaction levels and increase ridership.