This report has been produced by Working Group 1 (WG 1) "Tunnel Operation", for PIARC Technical Committee C3.3. Road Tunnel Operation. This report was developed through contributions from individual members of WG 1. The given recommendations have been reviewed by WG 1 and are commended to the reader as worthy of consideration for use in road tunnels.

The service and quality levels available to the user obviously depend on the nature and performance of the installed equipment. It also depends on how this equipment is operated by the tunnel staff.

The tasks entrusted to the operating staff are of major importance. Therefore the people called to perform these duties must be well selected when recruited, well trained before starting their tasks and continually retrained throughout their career.

After some specific definitions the present "Guide for organizing, recruiting and training road tunnel operating staff" defines the tasks to be carried out to operate a tunnel and the staff qualities required to do them. Then, some recommendations in the field of organization, recruitment and training are made in general terms without showing preference for one type of structure rather than another.

The split of organizational responsibilities vary from country to country and can vary between tunnels within a country. Thus, tunnel management might be the responsibility of either a public body or a private company. This report provides advice that would be equally applicable to both public and private organizations.

The WG 1 hopes that the contents of this report will help tunnel managers and help them improve the organization, the recruitment and the training of their staffs. However, it is noted that tunnel staff management is a dynamic process and changes will continue to occur in the future as new rules and working practices are established.