Man and his transport behaviour Part 1a. Telecommuting — promises and reality

Abstract

The use of modern telecommunication facilities technically enables the substitution of physical commuting by telecommuting. The assessment of the potential substitution between transport and telecommunication requires not only that telecommunications be recognized as an element in the transport system, but furthermore that the broad implications of physical and electronic movement be considered.

Various studies of this issue have suggested that telecommuting will have positive effects on urban areas as more jobs cease to require physical travel. By contrast, this paper takes a critical approach to the actual potential of telecommuting. Although the social benefits may be larger, the non‐monetary costs born by the individual telecommuter are likely to discourage wide‐scale transitions to this type of work. This assessment is based both on theoretical reasoning derived from research in sociology of work, and on some preliminary empirical analysis.