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Does home-based telework reduce household total travel? A path analysis using single and two worker British households

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  • de Abreu e Silva, João
  • Melo, Patrícia C.

Abstract

The initial enthusiasm for home-based telework as an attractive travel demand management strategy has been countered by recent research pointing to its inductive effects on travel. This paper develops path analysis models for one- and two-worker households in Great Britain, using data from the National Travel Survey (2005–2012), to study the effects of teleworking frequency on household-level weekly trips and travel distances by mode. The results indicate that among single-worker households, higher teleworking frequencies are associated with more travel by all modes, particularly by car, while there is no significant association for two-worker households. In terms of policy implications, these results do not support the expectation that home-based telework reduces travel, although the methods used do not permit us to definitively conclude that it increases travel.

Suggested Citation

  • de Abreu e Silva, João & Melo, Patrícia C., 2018. "Does home-based telework reduce household total travel? A path analysis using single and two worker British households," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 148-162.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:73:y:2018:i:c:p:148-162
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2018.10.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Michel Noussan & Matteo Jarre, 2021. "Assessing Commuting Energy and Emissions Savings through Remote Working and Carpooling: Lessons from an Italian Region," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Juan Ramón López Soler & Panayotis Christidis & José Manuel Vassallo, 2021. "Teleworking and Online Shopping: Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Their Impact on Transport Demand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-24, June.
    6. Wöhner, Fabienne, 2023. "Work flexibly, travel more healthily? How telework and flextime affect active travel in Switzerland," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    7. Minh Hieu Nguyen, 2021. "Factors influencing home-based telework in Hanoi (Vietnam) during and after the COVID-19 era," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 3207-3238, December.
    8. Fouquet, Roger & Hippe, Ralph, 2022. "Twin transitions of decarbonisation and digitalisation: a historical perspective on energy and information in European economies," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115544, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Irene Manzini Ceinar & Ilaria Mariotti, 2021. "Teleworking In Post-Pandemic Times:May Local Coworking Spaces Be The Future Trend?," Romanian Journal of Regional Science, Romanian Regional Science Association, vol. 15(1), pages 52-76, JUNE.
    10. Budnitz, Hannah & Tranos, Emmanouil & Chapman, Lee, 2020. "Telecommuting and other trips: an English case study," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Hannah Villeneuve & Ahmed Abdeen & Maya Papineau & Sharane Simon & Cynthia Cruickshank & William O'Brien, 2020. "New insights on the energy impacts of telework," Carleton Economic Papers 20-20, Carleton University, Department of Economics.
    12. Andrew Hook & Victor Court & Benjamin K Sovacool & Steven Sorrell, 2020. "A Systematic Review of the Energy and Climate Impacts of Teleworking," Working Papers hal-03192905, HAL.
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    15. Patrícia C. Melo, 2022. "Will COVID‐19 hinder or aid the transition to sustainable urban mobility? Spotlight on Portugal's largest urban agglomeration," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(S1), pages 80-106, November.
    16. Wöhner, Fabienne, 2022. "Work flexibly, travel less? The impact of telework and flextime on mobility behavior in Switzerland," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    17. Elldér, Erik, 2020. "Telework and daily travel: New evidence from Sweden," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
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