Telecommuting Trend Not Decreasing Traffic

Changes in the work force mean more people are working from home or telecommuting. "Tech-oriented occupations ideal for working remotely have grown, far exceeding job gains in manufacturing and other industries less conducive to it," Mike Maciag reports for Governing. Telecommuting hasn't translated into fewer people on the roads during rush hour, however. In fact, according to Census data, the percentage of people who commute and the length of their commutes has held steady.

There are many possible explanations for why commutes aren't going away, "A study by the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota found telecommuting increased travel for one-worker households, especially for non-work related trips. Other research indicates that when two drivers in a household share a single vehicle, telecommuting merely frees up the vehicle for the other person," Maciag writes. It's also possible that the would-be commuters staying at home have just induced demand, bringing folk who would have used other means to get to work out on to the roads.