Research explores the role that social media plays in managing unplanned passenger rail disruptions. It incorporates an international survey of 86 agencies regarding current practice and a detailed case study on social media use to Melbourne Australia. Research literature on social media in transit is limited; this paper presents the first analysis of its practical use during unplanned passenger rail disruptions. When disruptions occur there is a need to provide passengers with reliable, up-to-date information. This should be transparent and sympathetic to impacts of delays on passengers. Social media is useful during disruptions because it enables concise real-time information to be provided and passengers to make informed pro-active choices in commonly reactive and sub-optimal situations. Passengers have greater opportunity to take control of their situation as a result of social media communication. The international survey results suggest 86% of agencies now use Twitter, 33% Facebook while only 12% did not use social media. Twitter was prevalent in high-frequency networks; its real-time nature providing the most appeal. Social media benefited soon-to-travel commuters most enabling proactive selection of alternative travel and non-travel options. Staff resourcing/skills were identified as an impediment to social media deployment. Rail agencies also believed that managing commuter expectations in the use of social media was a growing concern. The paper develops a conceptual model for social media impacts in disruptions based on research findings and discusses future research and practice opportunities.
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