# Comparison of escalator strategies in models using a modified totally asymmetric simple exclusion process

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a modified TASEP model to compare escalator strategies, revealing that two standing lanes offer smoother flow, while mixed standing and walking lanes are beneficial only in limited scenarios with fewer pedestrians.

## Contribution

A novel modified TASEP model is developed to analyze escalator lane strategies, providing insights into optimal pedestrian flow configurations.

## Key findings

- Two standing lanes provide smoother overall transportation.
- Mixed standing and walking lanes are advantageous only with few pedestrians.
- Travel time for early pedestrians is shorter with distinct standing and walking lanes in high-density scenarios.

## Abstract

We develop a modified version of the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) and use it to reproduce flow on an escalator with two distinct lanes of pedestrian traffic. The model is used to compare strategies with two standing lanes and a standing lane with a walking lane, using theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. The results show that two standing lanes are better for smoother overall transportation, while a mixture of standing and walking is advantageous only in limited cases that have a small number of pedestrians. In contrast, with many pedestrians, the individual travel time of the first several entering particles is always shorter with distinct standing and walking lanes than it is with two standing lanes.