A study of passenger sensitivities towards overcrowding on the Hong Kong MTR

Abstract

The Mass Transit Railways (MTR) is an essential part of the Hong Kong public transportation network. Often referred to as the, “backbone,” of the network, MTR carries millions of passengers every single day. However, despite the ever-growing network of stations and new lines, MTR faces real challenges posed by overcrowding during peak times and on certain high-volume corridors. With the population of Hong Kong expected to reach 7.662 million by 2021 from 7.118 million in 2013 according to the Hong Kong Census Bureau, the over-crowding conditions are just expected to worsen.

To examine this problem, a two-part study was conducted inside the MTR system to determine the reasoning behind a passengers choice not to board trains that appear full but yet may fit them, even if in close quarters. This study consisted of a stated preference survey of passengers directly via an Internet questionnaire, and a revealed preference survey conducted on the platforms at varied MTR stations to examine the actual habits of passengers during morning rush hours.

Passengers’ behaviors can change greatly over the course of the decades and today our need for personal space is greater than ever. It is no surprise that price will always remain a strong sensitivity to passengers over time but the increase in population, along with increasingly bigger role gadgets have, fueled the higher sensitivity towards crowding levels found in my survey. This paper identifies those specific sensitivities that each group of passengers has and presents recommendations to help alleviate overcrowding based on those findings. Those sensitivities are far from uniform and highlight what each group holds as important.