On-board customer survey: collecting passenger data, improving services.
“Where are you travelling from and to?”
Dear SBB Community
In this article, you can find out more about customer and frequency surveys on our trains. We hope this information is helpful.
Summary of key information.
During a frequency survey – also known as an FQ survey – specially trained passenger attendants collect travel data from passengers on the train to determine the ticket structure.
They record:
- the class used.
- the fare applied (ticket type and discount).
- the point of departure and destination of the journey as a whole.
- the boarding and alighting location of customers on the train in question.
The data collected is anonymised and does not contain any personal passenger data. Together with timetable data and passenger counts, the ticket structure data is incorporated into passenger extrapolations (Hochrechnung Personenverkehr – HOP). The HOP shows how, where and when customers use their tickets and breaks down the income (revenue) generated by individual routes and trains.
The HOP key figures are used for the following purposes:
Revenue transfer: there are many different transport companies in Switzerland. They are independent of each other and financially autonomous. However, customers benefit from an open public transport system where their ticket is valid for the entire journey, regardless of which transport company they use. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the revenue accrues to the transport company that carries the passengers. Railways which do not generate their revenue directly from ticket sales can make their claim based on the revenue calculated in the HOP.
Service optimisation: the travel routes and passenger kilometres are incorporated into models and assessments of service concepts so as to optimise services for passengers.
Offers in regional services: as the purchaser of public transport, the public sector (Confederation and cantons) require precise information to determine the performance of the transport companies and their financing.
Fare networks: fare networks distribute their income according to how the services offered by the various transport companies are used. SBB demand is determined on the basis of the HOP key figures.
Transport companies are also legally obliged to collect data on mobility and the use of their services.
Further information on the frequency survey.
How often is data collected?
FQ surveys are carried out five times a year for each train on different days of the week. Together with the frequency counts, which take place weekly or even daily, these figures form a reliable basis for passenger extrapolations.
What type of data is collected?
In an FQ survey, the following information is recorded electronically:
- Ticket class [1].
- Ticket type [2] (shows as a code on the ticket or is scanned).
- Discount, e.g. item number [3].
- Travel route [4].
– Railway stations are recorded as five-digit codes. They are made up of a three-digit line number and a two-digit station number. The survey staff have a good knowledge of geography and know the most important line numbers by heart.
- Entry and exit point along the train route (IN and OUT) [5].
- Data from electronic tickets is scanned and added manually if necessary, e.g. the travel route for a GA Travelcard.
- Any additional offers such as class upgrades or bicycles are also recorded.
- If several tickets are used for the journey, these are recorded individually.
How can the extrapolations be accurate if the train is half empty on the day in question due to a disruption, meaning that many passengers cannot be recorded at all?
In addition to the frequency data collected, the extrapolation also includes passenger counts on the train. Passenger counts are carried out daily by passenger attendants on long-distance services and electronically by sensors at the entry doors on regional services. This means that fluctuations occurring in a system based on random sampling can be balanced out.
Is the entire travel route recorded?
The route travelled without major interruptions is recorded, even if passengers change trains several times and use several tickets. Destinations abroad are also recorded.
Can all destinations be recorded?
No. Only railway stations are recorded. In the case of bus or boat stops, the travel route to the transfer station is recorded.
Bus lines and municipal transport lines carry out their own surveys in order to make their claims.
What happens if passengers cannot show a ticket during a frequency survey?
Passengers without a valid ticket must also be recorded as they are part of the sample. The FQ staff record these with the relevant ticket code.
If there are ticket inspection staff on the train, they will be called in to take the necessary measures. If no ticket inspectors are available, only the corresponding code for ‘Passenger without a valid ticket’ is recorded.
Have you always wondered why surveys are carried out on trains?
Do you have any more questions or comments on the topic? Please post them below the article.
Thank you very much and enjoy your journey
Romano