Development of a method to evaluate competencies required for railway traffic controllers during restricted operation and validation of effect

Train operation restriction is issued when natural hazard such as heavy rain, strong wind or large earthquake occurs, in order to ensure safety. During the restricted operation, trains have to be stopped or slowed down. In this case, railway traffic controllers, who are responsible for operation restriction, respond to the situation while demonstrating their competencies. Understanding whether controllers have these competencies is expected to bring practical benefits such as contributing to improve safety in train operation management. However there is not an established way to evaluate their competencies. In this paper, we developed a method for an inexperienced evaluator to evaluate controllers' competencies, while referring precedents of other industries, and evaluated competencies of J Company's controllers with this method. As a result, practical effects and subjects of this method were found.