Passenger behavior in trains during emergency situations

Abstract

Introduction: This research presents a methodology for analyzing the behavior of people (passengers and crew) involved in emergency situations on passenger trains.

Methods: This methodological tool centers around a qualitative character study coming from Focus Groups (FG) and in-depth interviews to extract the determinant variables on passenger and crew behavior when faced with certain emergency situations on trains.

Results: This research has led to the creation of a classification of possible behaviors associated to each type of incident and dependent on certain variables. The qualitative study was used as the basis for modeling stated preference data using logit type discrete choice models to characterize and quantify the behavior. The most important results show that the determinant variables on passenger behavior correspond to the type of emergency suffered (its degree of seriousness), the type of passenger, the reasons for the journey (demands of time), the information received during the incident, the relationship between crew and passengers, the duration of the incident and the conditions (temperature control, availability of water, occupancy of the train), the distance to the destination station, and finally, the outside weather conditions. This research was carried out using the Spanish railway network as its reference, although it is applicable to any geographical area.

Impact on industry: The results show that the information variable should be considered in the development of future research and that the evidences of this research can be used to develop behavioral models for modeling railway passenger evacuations.

Keywords: Discrete choice models; Emergency situation; Focus Group; Passenger behavior; Railway.