Transportation impacts of center-based telecommuting : Interim findings from the Neighborhood Telecenters Project

The transportation impacts of center-bused telecommnuting for 24 participants (representing 69 person-day of travel and 295 taps) in the California Neighborhood Telecenters Project are analyzed. Comparing non-telecommuting (NTC) day to telecommunting (TC) day travel Shows that person-taps did not change significantly, whereas vehicle-taps increased significantly (by about one trip) on TC days Both PMT and VMT decline significantly on TC days: by an average of 68 miles (74%) and 38 miles (65%), respectively When these savings are weighted by the frequency of telecommnuting, overall reductions in PMT and VMT come to 19% and 17%, respectively, of total weekday travel. Commute taps increase slightly (by 0 5 trips) but significantly, matinly due to lunch-time trips made home from the telecenter. Total non-commute travel does not increase, but there is a significant shift from other modes to driving alone on TC days. Commute mode split on NTC days is not affected by telecommuting. Travel on TC day tends to be compressed into fewer hours. Higher numbers of return home, eat meal, shopping, and social/recreational trips are made on TC days, in exchange For a reduction (to zero) in the number of change mode taps.