The compressed workweek is often promoted as a transportation demand management (TDM) strategy. It is assumed that employees who work fewer days per week will make fewer trips per week, thus reducing demand on transportation infrastructure. A before-and-after case study by Commuter Transportation Services Inc, examines the effects of this strategy on travel behavior by analyzing travel logs completed by employees at a Los Angeles County worksite before and after the implementation of a 4/40 compressed workweek schedule (four 10-hr days a week). Results show that employees actually made more trips on their compressed workweek day off than they did on any other day. However, employees made fewer trips per week and traveled fewer miles than when working a traditional 5/40 schedule (five 8-hr days per week). In addition, the trips made on the day off are short errands and were usually made during nonpeak periods, late morning or early afternoon. Further, the findings show that a larger percentage of the trips were being made without a return home between trips, indicating a reduction in the number of cold starts. The study concludes that a 4/40 compressed workweek program can reduce the average number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and thus can reduce levels of mobile source pollutants entering the atmosphere. The average reduction in VMT per week for respondents of this study, 46 mi, is equal to a $850 annual savings in user costs and an average reduction of 2, 300 lb ofcarbon dioxide and pollutants. (A)
Samenvatting