Distance Passenger Research Articles

Depot-Wise Efficiency of Haryana Roadways: A Data Envelopment Analysis

Presently, there are 24 depots and 13 sub-depots operating in various districts of Haryana and these play a pivotal role in providing short as well as medium distance passenger portability. The depots of Haryana roadways have relatively few incentives to perform efficiently. This study makes an effort to measure the efficiency of 20 major depots of Haryana roadways for the year of 2017–2018 and also find out the overall and depot level efficiency of Haryana roadways. For the purpose, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been applied and fleet size of Haryana roadways, total number of staff in this department and fuel consumption by buses are taken as inputs and bus utilisation taken as output. On the basis of technical efficiencies of the depots, it was found that the performance of depots is not at par with the optimum level. The overall mean technical efficiency is 91 per cent indicating that they can produce the same level of output by reducing 9 per cent inputs. JEL: R40, C67, L32, L91

A Multi-Objective Train Operational Plan Optimization Approach for Adding Additional Trains on a High-Speed Railway Corridor in Peak Periods

Passenger demand for railway transportation rapidly increases in peak periods, and the transport capacity for existing trains is not sufficient. Railway companies usually adopt the strategy of adding additional trains in peak periods to meet the higher passenger demand. Designing a good operational plan for additional trains becomes a challenge for operators, though. A new optimization approach for designing an operational plan for additional trains is proposed in this paper. The number of trains, the operational plan, the stop plan, and the timetable for each train can be considered simultaneously in the new optimization approach, which will make it easier to design an operational plan for additional trains. A multi-objective nonlinear model with three objectives of minimizing total running distance, dwelling time, and unsatisfied passengers is proposed. Big-M is introduced to transform the nonlinear model into a linear model. The solver CPLEX is used to solve the transformed linear model and obtain the optimal operational plan. Small-scale numerical experiments are implemented to show the effectiveness of the optimization approach. The large-scale case of the Beijing‒Shanghai railway corridor is studied to demonstrate that the optimization approach can be applied to real-word and large-scale situations.

The influence of COVID-19 on international and long-distance passenger rail transport. The cases of Italy and Poland – the first observations

The objective of the article is to present the influence of COVID-19 on international and long distance passenger rail transport in Italy and Poland. Despite differences in the development of the pandemic the decision to put limits on long-distance rail services was taken in both countries at the very same time. On 23 March 2020 the last large-scale cancellations so far were introduced both in Italy and Poland. The entire rail transport in the two countries has been stopped to a very large extent. The only remaining international trains in Italy and Poland are cross-border regional trains operated by some railway companies from the neighbouring countries – France and Switzerland in the case of Italy and Germany in the case of Poland. As far as long-distance rail traffic is concerned, in Italy over 90% of all trains of this kind have been cancelled whereas in Poland the figure is 43%. A similar characteristic is the fact that almost all prestigious high speed trains have been cancelled. This is probably connected with the fact that their main target are business trips which in the time of pandemic have come almost to a complete stop.

The Elaboration of Day-to-Day Operation Procedures for Passenger Rail Transportation Aimed at the Realization of the Strategic Goals of a Passenger Company

This paper is devoted to the development of methodology for the day-to-day operation procedures for passenger rail transportation in the light of decease in passenger traffic. We have accentuated factors that have the most negative influence on the organization of passenger traffic in the Russian Federation. We have determined the goal state for rail transport for commuters and long distance passenger traffic. We also investigated measures for day-to-day operation as well as conditions for employment of these procedures under fluctuations of passenger traffic to substantiate the need for further elaboration and improvement of these procesures. In this work we have developed a sequence of day-to-day operations; as the criterion for switching from one procedure to another we have chosen the seating capacity factor in consideration of the carriage type, demand for a certain car type and the traffic route of the train. The results of experimental research showed the efficiency of the methodology developed.

A full-scale experimental investigation of passenger and freight train aerodynamics

The movement of a train creates a disturbance to the air through which it passes, known as a slipstream. Such disturbances are characterised by changes in pressure, notably around the vehicle nose/tail, and a highly turbulent boundary growth along the vehicle side with an increasing slipstream velocity magnitude. Although these characteristic features occur in some form for all trains, the flow development associated with various train types can often be very different. Variability in train type makes it difficult to accurately characterise the aerodynamic effects of each individual train. In this paper, a detailed set of tests are undertaken to assess the aerodynamic flow development created around various train types common to the UK railway network. A comparison of the analysed data from different passenger and freight trains was made. The variability of freight train results was larger in comparison to the passenger trains examined, because of the large flow separations around the bluff freight train. Although the speed was lower for freight trains, the slipstream velocity and pressure magnitudes were larger than those observed for passenger trains. Passenger trains could be divided aerodynamically into two main types: long distance passenger trains and commuter trains. Longer train lengths were shown to increase the boundary layer growth: an important feature for long distance passenger trains as it creates an increase in the slipstream velocity peak magnitude at the train tail. Boundary layer stabilisation is not observed as in previous studies. The coupling of two carriage sets together, creating a large V-shaped region at the centre of the train, led to a clear step slipstream velocity peak coinciding with the change in pressure at the coupling region. Cross-correlation of results from measuring positions within the characteristic turbulent length scale range appeared to show similar results to autocorrelation time scales for larger scale separation of turbulent structures from the bogie and inter-carriage regions.

Deregulation of long distance coach services in France

Long distance passenger mobility is experiencing in France a huge innovation boost. Based on Internet technology and customer-oriented services some new entrants are diversifying the options for the travelers. For instance, High Speed Rail (HSR or “TGV” in French) services are challenged by low cost airlines but also by BlaBlaCar, the world leader in ride-sharing, and since 2015 by the deregulated long distance coach services. At the end of the first quarter of 2017, 8 million passengers have already experienced long distance coaches in France. But is it enough? The aim of our paper is to analyze the development of coach services in France as a case study and their lack of profitability. Until now, coach operators are suffering huge losses. Is it transitory or can we consider that the high degree of competition between HSR, ride-sharing and coach services will structurally limit the development of the latter? How will the structure of this market evolve if the demand remains at a rather low level, in comparison with United Kingdom for instance? To conclude, it is a dynamic market as far as passengers are concerned but it can be a lose-lose game for operators such as coach operators or ride-sharing platforms.

Uma Experiência Turística no Trem de Passageiros da Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas

Em razão de consecutivas decisões políticas e ações governamentais em âmbito nacional, a oferta de transporte ferroviário de passageiros no Brasil se concentra, principalmente, no transporte férreo urbano presente em algumas áreas metropolitanas populosas. Há raros exemplos de trens que transportam passageiros de longa distância e alguns poucos trens turísticos que operam trechos curtos e, nem sempre, tem frequência regular. Um dos trechos ferroviários que conta com trem de passageiros, diários e regulares é o da Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas, operado pela empresa Vale, que liga as capitais Vitória-ES e Belo Horizonte-MG. Este estudo constitui-se em uma pesquisa exploratóriadescritiva, que empregou a técnica de observação participante, para concretizar o objetivo de registrar as experiências de um passageiro-turista, vividas pelo pesquisador, ao realizar o referido percurso. Como resultado detectou-se que apesar do serviço de passageiros ser oferecido para atender moradores da região e constituir-se em um fator que promove o desenvolvimento regional, ele também apresenta características que podem ser aproveitadas por turistas e por operadoras turísticas.

Competition For Versus In the Market of Long-Distance Passenger Rail Services

AbstractThis paper is aimed at evaluating the net gains and trade-offs at stake in implementing the competition of the rail mode in the long distance passenger market either by means of franchise or by an open access mechanism. We simulate the outcomes of competitioninandforthe market using a differentiated-products oligopoly model allowing for inter- and intra-modal competition in a long distance passenger market. Specifically we first calibrate the model using data describing high speed lines in France and show that the incumbent railway operator’s strategy does not simply boil down to a short-term profit maximization (e.g. because of existing regulation or limit-pricing strategy). This yields two important results when simulating competition. First, whether it isfororinthe market, the opening to competition does not guarantee a decrease in prices in favor of passengers. Second, the effects of opening up to competitionforthe market are relatively predictable and potentially positive, while those of opening up to competition in the market remain very uncertain.

Joint analysis of intermodal long distance-last mile trips using urban interchanges in EU cities

Abstract This paper provides an analysis of long-short distance passenger interconnectivity in the European context. The analysis is based on the results of the project HERMES (EU 7th FP). In order to gather information about the barriers to intermodality, a series of interviews to stakeholders were carried out and complemented with surveys to passengers. Their outputs show weakness and strengths of four intermodal stations: Gothenburg Central Station (Sweden), Avenida de America Interchange in Madrid (Spain), Lleida-Zaragoza railway stations (Spain), and Part Dieu Intermodal Station in Lyon (France). The stakeholders’ surveys highlighted the main management features and characteristics of interchanges. The survey conducted to passengers gave an insight into the key requirements of long-short distance intermodal services. Passenger surveys provided information about the trip and their socioeconomic characteristics. In addition, they rated the importance and satisfaction of a series of aspects. This paper identifies the most relevant elements of each interchange -their weakness and strengths. These findings consider both providers’ and customers’ perspectives. The most common weakness in terms of management is the lack of internal coordination among operators, managers and decision makers, which influences the quality of the information provided to passengers. The strengths of each interchange depend on the customers’ personal profile. In some cases, the availability of a variety of cheap urban transport services is the most valued characteristic. In other cases, customers prefer good quality and comfortable facilities. Those findings are consistent with the outputs of other EU funded projects like NODES and City-HUB that provide guidelines to the design and management of interchanges in response to travellers’ desires and expectations.

Integrated Optimization of Rolling Stock Rotations for Intercity Railways

This paper proposes a highly integrated solution approach for rolling stock planning problems in the context of long distance passenger traffic between cities. The main contributions are a generic hypergraph-based mixed-integer programming model for the considered rolling stock rotation problem and an integrated algorithm for its solution. The newly developed algorithm is able to handle a large spectrum of industrial railway requirements, such as vehicle composition, maintenance constraints, infrastructure capacities, and regularity aspects. We show that our approach has the power to produce rolling stock rotations that can be implemented in practice. In this way, the rolling stock rotations at the largest German long distance operator Deutsche Bahn Fernverkehr AG could be optimized by an automated system utilizing advanced mathematical programming techniques.

The estimation of GHG emission costs in road and air transport sector: case study of Serbia

The paper gives special attention on long distance passenger transport and specific emissions related to different transport modes, particularly road and air transport sector. The goal of this research is creation and selection of appropriate methodology for modelling the cost estimation of GHG emissions in road and air transport sector for Republic of Serbia as well as the application of the methodology regarding to detailed calculation by transport mode and sub modes. Input data for road transport sector refer to the 2013 and include road and traffic conditions on the road network. Input data for air transport sector are related to the 2014 and international airport ‘Nikola Tesla’ Belgrade as the main hub point with the highest recorded number of aircraft operations in the Western Balkan countries. The obtained results reveal that, due to realized transport volume, diesel cars have the largest share of the costs of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions within the passenger long distance road transport. Cost estimates of CO2 emissions in the air transport sector shows that A319 aircraft type have the major share in total costs. The reasons are twofold: first, a high level of Landing and Take-Off (LTO) emission factor for CO2 and second, largest number of LTO cycles.

Railway in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin conurbation. It is time for the underground.

Opportunities for a railway network to be used in present and prospective passenger transports in Upper Silesian and Coal Basin conurbation. PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. intensions in the scope of modernization and reconstruction of railway network in the conurbation, for the purpose of functional regional and long-distance passenger transport systems’ evolution. Technical and organizational conditions to separate rail passenger services from cargo transportation in the conurbation, furthermore, separating regional and long-distance rail traffic in the passenger transport. Reasons to build new railway lines connecting the conurbation center and Katowice-Pyrzowice International Airport. Courses of action for the undergrounds’ process of planning at each stage in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin conurbation center, as well as regional railway lines for a local transport and a high – speed railway for a long- distance passengers’ domestic and international transport.

Options for Long Distance Passenger Land Transport Infrastructure Expansion. Analysis Regarding Network-based Sustainable Development

In the global reality of intense competition for financial resources, models for transport infrastructure and operational technologies development are to be taken into consideration in order to ensure that both service and physical network provision serves society's wider need. Proposed paper presents a detailed methodology for the substantiated choices of transport infrastructure development in case of long distance haul and high speed passenger travel, adequate for efficient resources consume (space, energy, finances). Practical aspects are revealed in the present comparative study regarding space and equivalent energy consumption, conducted for two land infrastructures, highway and high speed rail, connecting the same origin and destination points. As a result, although both services have their benefits and costs, high speed rail is recommended as a sustainable development action, ranking better than highway infrastructure. Recommendations concerning methodological clarifications and practical aspects are made in order to insure the best practice considering a sustainable network based transport infrastructure assessment process.

Deregulation of the Norwegian long distance express coach market

This paper offers new insight to the effects of long distance express coach deregulation in Norway, which formally happened gradually between 1998 and 2003. We study data over a period that spans from the years prior to deregulation and up to 2010. We document the degree of both competition and cooperation in the market, which has taken a particular form in Norway due to historical requirements on coach operations. We also document that the market has changed character as a consequence of intermodal competition, in particular with air traffic. Our paper documents the successful development of an often neglected public transport mode, which has the potential to make long distance passenger transport more efficient more sustainable, and with hardly any subsidy requirements.

The economic viability of a Parallel Cross Country Route for England

This paper is a contribution to the debate about the uses to which Britain's existing rail infrastructure should be put following the completion of High Speed 2. The provision of rapid high capacity rail services from London to Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester and Birmingham will remove the principal long distance passenger flows from the East Coast Main Line (ECML), Midland Main Line (MML) and West Coast Main Line (WCML). Most of the suggestions for alternative uses of the released capacity on these routes have involved either increased connectivity between existing secondary stations, better connections from the principal population centres to off route destinations, or increased capacity for commuting in to London. This paper suggests an alternative proposal, namely that sections of the ECML, MML, WCML and Great Western Main Line (GWML) could be linked together to form a new long distance route running on a south west to north east axis; the route would provide a broadly parallel (but slower) alternative to the existing Cross Country Route between Bristol and York, as it would run via Swindon, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham and Doncaster. This paper will utilise various methods for estimating the capital expenditure required and passenger demand expected from the provision of this route and accompanying rail services (along with standard assumptions regarding operational expenditure), in order to gauge whether there may be a case for developing this proposal further.

Open Access Long Distance Passenger Rail Services in the United Kingdom: The Grand Central Experience

The EU's forthcoming 4th Railway Package will allow open access passenger rail services to operate within member states alongside government supported services. The 1993 UK Railways Act, which resulted in the privatisation of the rail network in Great Britain, envisaged the development of open access passenger rail services alongside franchised rail operations. It is therefore relevant to assess how this has operated in practice. In practice, only two significant open access operators – Grand Central Railway and Hull Trains – have emerged, serving niche markets that were ignored by the franchise operators. This paper discusses the reasons for this, including barriers to entry and the application of economic regulation to assess applications to operate open access services. Particular attention is given to the experience of Grand Central in obtaining track access rights to operate services from London to Sunderland and Bradford in Northern England.The paper sets out evidence, based on work undertaken for Grand Central, on the impacts of open access on the market for rail travel, indicating that the presence of competition appears to have increased passenger demand and revenue, while constraining growth in average fares. It also compares forecast and outturn ridership and revenue. Finally the paper considers potential future developments. These include the emergence of larger scale open access proposals, possible changes to the application of economic regulation to open access services and potential impacts from the re-classification of the Infrastructure Manager – Network Rail – as a state-owned company. The implications of the UK experience for the 4th Railway Package are discussed.

High Speed Rail (HSR) Induced Demand Models

Recent High Speed Rail (HSR) investments in Italy, together with the entrance in the HSR market of a new private operator competing with the national incumbent, create the conditions for a unique case study, to investigate the behaviour of long- distance passengers. In this paper a modelling framework developed to forecast the national passenger demand for different macroeconomic, transport supply, and HSR marketing scenarios is presented, focusing on the sub-models forecasting induced demand.

The method for tourist trailers schedule development

In spite of existing methods for long distance passenger train schedule development, the organization of tourist travels in trailers was not paid much attention to until now and, therefore, to schedule development for such cars as a part of long distance trains keeping to an approved train schedule. This article contains the methods for tourist trailers schedule development based on imitation modeling created for application at the railway transport. It was found that the presented method results in labor intensity decrease of optimal schedule development for tourist trailers running as a part of route passenger trains and increase of planning quality for tourist routes at the railway transport.

Metro railway safety: An analysis of accident precursors

Fatalities due to railway accidents occur rarely and some railways identify risks from potential accident precursors. By lowering precursor frequency, the probability of more serious incidents and accidents may be reduced, following the idea of a reverse pyramid between precursors, top events, injuries and deaths. To assist in reducing such risks, a new safety maturity model (SMM) is proposed which aims to address not only the behavioural and/or attitudinal culture, but also technical, operational and methodological elements and actual achievements in terms of safety outcomes.This paper outlines the results of precursor analysis from 18 CoMET and Nova railways, all but two of which are metro (subway) operations1Metro railways are urban passenger electric railways with a significant proportion of grade separated (underground or elevated) track and relatively close station spacing. The two commuter routes have longer station spacing and more surface track than most metros.1, the other two being commuter railways. One of the commuter railways has mixed traffic including freight and long distance passenger trains, while four of the metro railways share lines with longer distance railways.The paper analyses precursors, top events, injuries and deaths as well as safety maturity and their relationships both to each other and to incidents and accidents for the set of the major global metro railways. The 27 precursors analysed, for the period 2002–2009, fall into six categories: human performance; technical failures; passengers: fires; malicious action and management action.To assess safety maturity, a model was developed based upon literature and metro experience. A questionnaire assessed the following safety maturity criteria for each metro: publication of safety reports; periodicity of safety monitoring; prioritisation of safety related incidents; efforts to mitigate risks and avoid incidents; description of safety procedures and monitoring of residual risks. The responses of each metro were scored to determine its aggregate safety maturity level.Statistical analysis indicates a positive correlation between injuries and top events as well as between injuries and precursors. The safety maturity score is correlated with injuries but not with precursors, top events or fatalities. Using these results, this paper proposes a number of measures to improve metro railways safety in each precursor category.

ITS for Long Distance Bus Passenger Transport

The paper will present a multi-operator platform implemented to manage booking, payment and fleet monitoring of a network of long-distance passenger transport. The platform is used by more than 2500 travel agencies that provide booking and payment services. Users and operators are able to monitor the position of buses in real time. The management of such a network can increase the offer of multimodal solutions especially if the platform is linked to traveler information services and integrated to terminal management systems. Some ICT solutions that would enhance the long distance passenger road transport will be presented.