Measuring the impacts of a major metro disruption in Montréal, Canada, on riders’ satisfaction and willingness to recommend the service to others

Abstract

On October 3rd, 2024, three stations along the east end of Montreal’s blue metro line were closed, resulting in a seven-day service disruption. While previous studies have examined the operational impacts of such disruptions, their effects on user experiences remain underexplored. To address this gap, we measure the impacts of the closure on user satisfaction and their willingness to recommend transit services. Using data from a bilingual online survey launched the day after the disruption began, we analyzed responses from blue line users (N = 655) by employing ordered probit models. The survey included a treatment group of riders directly impacted by the closure (N = 361) and a control group of those unaffected (N = 294). Additionally, we incorporate data from a secondary survey conducted one prior to the closure, which included riders living close to blue line stations (N = 161), as a secondary control. Our findings reveal a significant decrease in both user satisfaction and willingness to recommend transit services among those impacted by the metro closure. However, these negative impacts can be mitigated when users perceive the availability of reliable and suitable transit alternatives. The findings from this research can be of interest to practitioners and policymakers as they highlight the broader implications of metro disruptions.

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