Exploring the spatial variations of transfer distances between dockless bike-sharing systems and metros

Dockless bike-sharing is emerging as a convenient transfer mode for metros. The riding distances of bike-sharing to or from metro stations are defined as transfer distances between dockless bike-sharing systems and metros, which determine the service coverages of metro stations. However, the transfer distances have rarely been studied and they may vary from station to station. Therefore, this study aims to explore the influencing factors and spatial variations of transfer distances between dockless bike-sharing systems and metros. First, a catchment method was proposed to identify bike-sharing transfer trips. Then, the Mobike trip data, metro smartcard data, and built environment data in Shanghai were utilized to calculate the transfer distances and travel-related and built environment variables. Next, a multicollinearity test, stepwise regression, and spatial autocorrelation test were conducted to select the best explanatory variables. Finally, a geographically weighted regression model was adopted to examine the spatially varying relationships between the 85th percentile transfer distances and selected explanatory variables at different metro stations. The results show that the transfer distances are correlated with the daily metro ridership, daily bike-sharing ridership, population density, parking lot density, footway density, percentage of tourism attraction, distance from CBD, and bus stop density around metro stations. Besides, the effects of the explanatory variables on transfer distances vary across space. Generally, most variables have greater effects on transfer distances in the city suburbs. This study can help governments and operators expand the service coverage of metro stations and facilitate the integration of dockless bike-sharing and metros.     

The spatial and temporal variation in passenger service rate and its impact on train dwell time: A time-series clustering approach using dynamic time warping

This study aims to improve the understanding of the underlying mechanism of passenger boarding and alighting processes, as well as its potential influence on train dwell time and train operation. Empirical data collected from one of busiest metro stations in Seoul, Korea, demonstrates the spatial and temporal variation in the passenger service rate, as a result of interference between boarding, alighting, and standing passengers. This study postulates that the level of interference can be associated with the train car occupancy and the proximity of train door to entry points, as waiting passengers tend to cluster near the platform entries. A unique temporal service rate curve is derived from each door location. We introduce Dynamic Time Warping for similarity assessment and clustering. It revealed four groups of train doors showing distinct shapes of curve from each platform. The first cluster includes the train doors located closest to the platform entry points where the initial service rate is drastically impeded by severe inference among passengers. The level of interference gradually diminishes as the door is located farther away from the entry points, but the overall service rate decreases as well. A passenger service time model is derived to include the cluster variable. To test its significance, the prediction capability of the model is presented with and without the cluster variable. The results of this study may be used to guide waiting passengers along the platform to minimize interference and to avoid serious disruption during passenger service time.     

城市轨道交通相邻多车站动态协同限流研究

为应对城市轨道交通车站高峰期客流压力,限流已经成为常态应对措施,而经常采用的限流策略大多针对单个车站,缺少对相邻多个车站的协同考虑。基于客流在车站间的传播效应,以乘客总延误时间最小为目标,以站台及列车能力为约束条件,构建城市轨道交通相邻多车站协同限流决策模型,同时为实现实时动态控制,引入滚动时域控制方法,优化多车站动态协同限流流程。以北京地铁8号线为例,经过相邻若干车站运营数据进行限流策略计算。结果表明,该模型限流可以在不造成车站服务人数损失的同时,将乘客总延误时间降低21%。     

基于结构方程模型的高速铁路客站旅客满意度评价研究

高速铁路客站作为中国铁路现代化的重要标志,是旅客感受高铁便捷舒适的窗口。科学合理地评价高速铁路客站的旅客满意度是检验其高服务水平的前提。根据高速铁路客站的新特点构建评价指标体系,提出了基于结构方程模型的旅客满意度评价模型,并根据高速铁路客站的服务特点修改了适当参数。以部分高速铁路客站为测评对象进行实例分析,通过分析计算结果．验证模型的可行性、适用性以及评价指标体系设置的合理性。     

Exploring the impacts of land use by service coverage and station-level accessibility on rail transit ridership

In this study, we employ spatial regression analysis to empirically investigate the impacts of land use, rail service coverage, and rail station accessibility on rail transit ridership in the city of Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan region. Our analyses suggest that a rail transit service coverage boundary of 500 m provides the best fit for estimating rail transit ridership levels. With regard to land use, our results confirm that density is positively related to rail transit ridership within a 750 m radius of each station. In contrast, land use diversity is not associated with rail transit ridership. We also found that station-level accessibility is as important as land use for explaining rail transit ridership levels. Finally, we conclude that development density and station-level accessibility measures such as the number of station entrances or exits and the number of bus routes at the station are the most important and consistent factors for promoting rail transit ridership.     

武汉铁路枢纽客运系统布局与分工研究

随着武汉铁路枢纽路网构架进一步扩充,客运系统运能紧张、过江通道能力不足,为解决路网结构缺陷、提升武汉城市群城际铁路断头线的路网功能,阐述武汉铁路枢纽与衔接客运铁路布局既有现状,为应对武汉铁路枢纽客运作业量及过江运量的增长,补强客运系统及过江通道能力,对武汉铁路枢纽客运系统布局与分工提出3个规划方案,经综合比选分析,采用新建新汉阳站和天河北站并将客运系统调整为"四主两辅"方案。研究结论能够满足高品质出行服务需求,对武汉铁路枢纽客运系统布局与分工提供借鉴。     

突发大客流在城市轨道交通网络中的传播机理

根据突发大客流在城市轨道交通车站的作业性质和特点,将城市轨道交通网络中的车站分为发生站、换乘站和中间站。在此基础上,通过站台候车区的乘客密度、到达列车的剩余载客能力、站台候车乘客数和乘客上车效率等因素,构建站台候车区乘客密度影响模型和列车运行延误时间模型,并总结出突发大客流在城市轨道交通网络中的传播机理。从车站服务水平和列车运行影响两个方面对突发大客流传播的影响因素及相应的调整措施进行分析。     

基于情感曲线的高速铁路旅客个性化服务评价权重设计

为满足高速铁路旅客日益增长的个性化服务需求,优化现有高速铁路客运服务体系,研究影响高速铁路旅客服务评价的个性化因素。通过服务接触理论划分服务环节、情感曲线量化旅客服务评价,得出旅客服务需求差异,在此基础上设计个性化服务评价权重。结合北京南站、郑州东站,西安北站和成都东站的实地调研数据,对高速铁路旅客个性化服务评价权重的设计方法进行验证,结果表明:考虑乘客的情感曲线进行权重设计能够真实反映旅客个性化服务需求,为优化现有高速铁路客运服务评价体系提供可行方案。     

Airline choice by passengers from Taiwan and China: A case study of outgoing passengers from Kaohsiung International Airport

Understanding what factors passengers consider when selecting an airline is critical, as airlines can utilize this information in market segmentation and marketing strategies. However, few studies have explored how passenger demographics and the nationality/type of carrier (full service or low-cost; regional or international) affect the choice factors of passengers when selecting airlines. The main objective of this study was to explore the airline choice factors considered by passengers, compare the choices of passengers with different demographics, and analyze which factors are emphasized by passengers from Taiwan and China when selecting airlines. We conducted a questionnaire survey of outgoing passengers at Kaohsiung International Airport in relation to 22 factors underlying their choice of airline. Using factor analysis, we identified the five factors: ground services, convenience, in-flight services, price, and travel availability. We then utilized cluster analysis to identify four groups, each concerned with price, comfort, convenience, and ground services, respectively. Nationality, age, income, flying frequency, and purpose of travel lead to differences in deciding which factors were considered by cross-strait passengers. Passengers of different nationalities concerned with different factors when selecting airlines. Our findings can add to the completeness of existing research as well as provide airlines with reference in developing marketing strategies for different customer groups.     

综合交通客运枢纽乘客服务设施系统优化方法

为消除综合交通客运枢纽内乘客拥挤、踩踏等安全隐患，提出基于稳定性的综合交通客运枢纽乘客服务设施系统优化方法，为提高综合交通客运枢纽运营效率、优化枢纽的乘客服务设施系统配置、提高安全运营管理等提供应用基础理论支撑。综述相关领域的研究进展．以乘客和服务设施构成的系统为研究对象，从排队网络的视角出发。提出乘客聚集状态变化分析方法和适应乘客聚集状态变化的乘客服务设施系统配置方案。     

城市轨道交通智慧乘客综合服务平台方案研究与设计

城市轨道交通乘客服务相关系统和设施设备是提升乘客出行满意度的关键要素。以挖掘数据潜能、释放资源价值为切入点,整合相关系统业务流程,在研究国内城市轨道交通乘客服务智能化发展的基础上,从提升服务体验、优化运营管理、挖掘商业价值3个维度分析乘客服务存在的问题,提出基于中台技术的智慧乘客综合服务平台方案。基于信息资源整合和业务能力抽取,设计乘客画像、出行支持、客流特征、场景模型4大业务中台模块,满足乘客购票、站内引导、资讯获取等方面的服务需求,实现乘客服务与车站信息的协同共享能力。通过设计智能票务、无人客服中心、智能导向、精准营销等典型场景应用,提升服务体验与运营管理水平,促进商业资源开发以满足日益增长的乘客消费需求。     

Demand-responsive transit circulator service network design

Commuter rail systems are being introduced into many urban areas as an alternative mode to automobiles for commuting trips. It is anticipated that the shift from the auto mode to rail mode can greatly help alleviate traffic congestion in urban road networks. However, the right-of-way of many existing commuter rail systems is usually not ideally located. Since the locations of rail systems were typically chosen long ago to serve the needs of freight customers, the majority of current commuter rail passengers have to take a non-walkable connecting trip to reach their final destinations after departing the most conveniently located rail stations. To make rail a more viable commuting option and thus more competitive to the auto mode, a bus feeder or circulator system is proposed for transporting passengers from their departing rail stations to final work destinations in a seamless transfer manner. The key research question with operating such a bus circulator system is how to optimally determine a bus route and stopping sequence for each circulating tour by using the real-time demand information. In this paper, we name this joint routing and stopping optimization problem the circulator service network design problem, the objective of which is to minimize the total tour cost incurred to bus passengers and operators with respect to minimizing the walk time of each individual bus passenger. A bi-level nonlinear mixed integer programming model is constructed and a tabu search method with different local search strategies and neighborhood evaluation methods is then developed for tackling the circulator service network design problem.     

Simulation method for dispatching national border security manpower to mitigate manpower shortage

Recently, a record number of passengers have entered and exited Taiwan from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TTIA). The number of passengers from Taiwan to mainland China has increased largely because of the improvement of cross-strait cultural interaction and other policies, as well as the opening of direct flights. Not only located in the transport hub of the East Asia Taoyuan International Airport is becoming more important and can provide 24 h Airport service, but also airport immigration officers must take 24 h shift to carry out the passenger document inspection requirement, Immigration officers can be fatigued by long shifts, thus negatively affecting border security clearance efficiency and work performance. Consequently, innovative management practices regarding immigration officers are necessary to strengthen international cooperation against terrorism. This study used system simulation Delphi interviews and a heuristic algorithm to determine the required number of airport immigration officers during a fixed passenger waiting time, for improving the efficiency and stability of airport immigration officers who work to consolidate the border security of the country. The results showed that the utilization of airport immigration officers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is higher than 97.99%, and their work hours have been reduced by more than 54.68%. These results proved that using a system simulation can reduce long work shifts and negligence, which can lead improved border security and airport service quality. Additionally, the simulation results that when the National Immigration Agency and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport implement the biometrics verification system for noncitizens, significant manpower shortages are expected. These shortages can cause complaints from customers and result in a negative image of the quality of airport service. Assigning priority to setting the E-GATE system to compensate for the lack of immigration officers would result in more efficient and effective border security.     

Investigating passengers’ intentions to use technology-based self check-in services

As more and more airlines have introduced technology-based self check-in services, it has become increasingly important to understand the factors affecting airline passengers’ attitudes toward this new form of check-in services and also their intentions, especially from Asian passengers’ perspectives. An empirical study was conducted among Taiwanese airline passengers using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the basic research model while considering additional factors for further analysis such as external stimuli, perceived service quality, perceived behavioral control, need for service, and perceived risk. The findings revealed that attitude and external stimuli best explain passengers’ behavioral intentions to use the kiosks, whereas perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have little effect on their intentions. These findings suggest that airlines in Taiwan should persuade passengers to acquire a more positive attitude toward the new check-in kiosks and should consider implementation of incentive strategies in encouraging passengers to adopt the self check-in service.     

Stochastic seat allocation models for passenger rail transportation under customer choice

We study the seat allocation problem for passenger rail revenue management, in which a rail operator attempts to determine the optimal quantity of seats to be allocated to each cabin class for each train service. We formulate the problem with single-stage and multi-stage decisions as two stochastic programming models that incorporate passengers’ choice behavior. We transform the stochastic models into equivalent deterministic mathematical programs that are easy to solve. Then, we form a variety of seat allocation polices from the optimal solutions to the seat allocation models. A number of simulation tests are offered to test the policies.     

Evaluating frequent flyer programs from the air passengers' perspective

Frequent flyer programs are used as a common strategy in the airline industry. They can be defined as a service quality attribute that consists of some redemption of free flight miles and can determines the selection of airlines. It has been argued that they can act as an entry barrier, but limited attention has been paid to assessing the impact of this strategy on passengers’ perceptions of service. They are generally part of broad airline service quality parameters and thus can creates dilemmas for airline managers, passengers and regulators regarding their added value, costs and competitive effects on industrial organization.     

Understanding accessibility through public transport users' experiences: A mixed methods approach

The quantitative measurement of accessibility through public transport has become more complex and accurate over time. However, it lacks many of the deeper nuances of how people actually experience their travel environments. Our previous works have highlighted the importance of incorporating the lived travel experiences of passengers within accessibility indicators, considering the quality of the walking environment and different attributes of the public transport services.Building on these works, this mixed-method research seeks to further improve the characterization of accessibility according to users' travel experiences, as described by those attributes that inhibit or enhance access to opportunities within the city. We use content analysis of focus groups, data gathered in a brief survey and sociodemographic and public transport data for our analyses. Our main contributions are (i) to develop a conceptual framework to analyze qualitative data on how people relate and discuss their public transport accessibility experiences and (ii) to develop accessibility indicators differentiating user perceptions. We apply this novel conceptual framework and methods to the unique urban morphology of two municipalities of Santiago de Chile.We identified different ‘socially constructed’ narratives for buses and metro. The participants focused on barriers to accessibility, showing an important relationship between them, as well as substantial differences in their overarching positive perception of metro and negative for buses. However, when disaggregating the analysis by primary transport mode and location, we found ‘hidden’ values for buses, recognizing its capillarity and underlying connectivity with the metro system. Furthermore, we found a dissimilar perception of transport environments when disaggregating the analysis by gender, age and location, which translated into different accessibility profiles for the various public transport users. From these experiential qualitative perspectives, it was thus possible to determine some attributes that had been previously overlooked in more quantitative studies but which are important when analyzing public transport accessibility for different population groups.     

Social distancing in airplane seat assignments

This paper addresses the airplane passengers’ seat assignment problem while practicing social distancing among passengers. We proposed a mixed integer programming model to assign passengers to seats on an airplane in a manner that will respect two types of social distancing. One type of social distancing refers to passengers being seated far enough away from each other. The metric for this type of social distancing is how many passengers are seated so close to each other as to increase the risk of infection. The other type of social distancing refers to the distance between seat assignments and the aisle. That distance influences the health risk involved in passengers and crew members walking down the aisle. Corresponding metrics for both health risks are included in the objective function. To conduct simulation experiments, we define different scenarios distinguishing between the relative level of significance of each type of social distancing. The results suggest the seating assignments that best serve the intention of the scenarios. We also reformulate the initial model to determine seat assignments that maximize the number of passengers boarding an airplane while practicing social distancing among passengers. In the last part of this study, we compare the proposed scenarios with the recommended middle-seat blocking policy presently used by some airlines to keep social distancing among passengers. The results show that the proposed scenarios can provide social distancing among seated passengers similar to the middle-seat blocking policy, while reducing the number of passengers seated close to the aisle of an airplane.     

Queue behavioural patterns for passengers at airport terminals: A machine learning approach

Passengers go through different handling processes inside airport terminal buildings. The quality of these processes is usually measured by the time passengers require and by the level of comfort experienced by them. We present an analysis of behavioural patterns in queues at check-in desks and security controls, which are two of the most critical processes regarding passenger service. The passengers' flow is simulated to obtain queue lengths at one busy European airport between 2014 and 2016, supported by real flight data. Simulation is designed as a store-and forward cell-based system, whose parameters have been tuned and validated with real data from observations and empirical capacity and demand studies within the airport. Random Forest algorithms are then implemented to develop different models for each parameter prediction, after a data analysis stage based on statistical and visualization methods. Feature analysis techniques between dependent variables and the target outputs (queue lengths) determine which are the fundamental elements to explain queue behaviour and to predict target variables. We provide a method to forecast behavioural patterns at check-in desks and security controls, to help airport operators to implement adequate response policies. Queue behavioural patterns are captured by Machine Learning models, which can be used to offer improved passenger services (such as real-time predictions for expected waiting time at queues), or can be considered in a dynamic approach for terminal services design (as the entire progress of terminal handling depends on the stochastic behaviour of passengers). This could be a key tool for managing passengers demand and optimise the infrastructure's capacity through resource allocation.     

Examining airline service quality from a process perspective

Airline service is composed of a set of processes. Passengers may have distinct expectations at different stages of the service chain. In this study, air travel was divided into ground and in-flight service stages. We first examined the gap between passengers’ service expectations and actual service received and the gaps associated with passenger service expectations and the perceptions of these expectations by frontline managers and employees of a Taiwanese airline. Next, importance–performance analysis was used to construct service attribute evaluation maps to identify areas for improvement. Results revealed that these gaps did exist and passengers were more concerned about the responsiveness and assurance dimensions from airline frontline staff. The tangibles dimension was considered more important when evaluating in-flight service quality than when evaluating ground service quality.