Effect of Passengers’ Flows on Regularity of Metro Services: Case Studies of Rome Lines A And B

The regularity is a key performance in the operation of a metro service, because it is normally affecting a large set of secondary performances: for example, punctuality, energy efficiency, economic efficiency and vehicles availability. Human behaviours are affecting the regularity by introducing deviations between planned and actual times in various operational phases of metro services: for example, dwelling times, acceleration/deceleration times, inversion times at terminus and headways themselves. The variability in passengers’ flows is one of the most relevant parameters affecting mainly dwelling times and finally headways themselves. In this framework, this article is specifically presenting the results of experimental surveys on metro services operating in rome (lines a and B). On these lines, a systematic counting of passengers boarding and alighting in the most crowded stations, combined with simultaneous measurement of actual dwelling times and headways, has been performed. The collected results have been analysed, cleaned by inconsistent data and statistically interrelated looking for significant trends to compare with the most consolidated theoretical models and to quantify the effects in line with the literature developments, including those by the authors themselves. Finally, the focus is on the most relevant quantitative outputs and the mainly identified and outlined further research needs.