This paper examines existing empirical findings with respect to the impacts of telecommuting on travel, energy use, and air quality. The findings were generated by several telecommuting pilot projects that included evaluations of the transportation related impacts of telecommuting. Eight studies, representing a sample of 382 telecommuters, were analyzed. Travel impacts examined include weekday person- and vehicle-miles saved due to a reduction in commuting, overall weekday travel reductions, and other changes in travel patterns for the telecommuter and the household. Some key issues regarding the estimation of these impacts, their use outside of the pilot programs, and their use in estimating energy savings or reductions in emissions are discussed. In particular, it is cautioned that early, short-term findings from small programs with participants unrepresentative of the population as a whole may change considerably as telecommuting becomes more mainstream.
Abstract