Helping behavior among passengers can contribute to the quality of mass transit. During forty bus trips, circumstances under which seated passengers would help those standing were registered by way of systematic observations. The criterion behavior was offering to hold baggage for a standing passenger. Overall, in 60 percent of the situations help was offered. Significantly more help was offered in a bus line going to a working class suburb than in a center city line. Women were more likely to offer help, as were passengers in a situation of eye to eye contact. The data suggest that helping behavior favoring better quality of mass transit may be found. The placing of educational signs inside the bus or at the bus station may further stimulate helping and other pro-social behaviors.
Helping behavior; Bus passengers; Urban environment
