Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...

Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Volume 2
employee, with a median cost of $1,088 per teleworker and an average cost of $1,920 per
teleworker (GSA, 2006). With an estimated 16 to 20 million teleworkers in 2008 consistent
with the benefit estimates provided above, this translates into a cost-effectiveness of about
$2,300 per tonne CO2e reduced. In the Moving Cooler study, a set of employer TDM
strategies that included telecommuting was estimated to cost $1,200 per ton (averaged
over the 2010-2050 period) considering only direct costs (including telecommunications
equipment and services), or $180 per tonne including vehicle operating cost savings to
commuters.
It is likely that teleworking costs will continue to decrease in the future due to
technological improvements and the ubiquitous adoption of broadband technology;
however, projections of future telework costs could not be identified.
Cobenefits
A variety of cobenefits have been associated with telework, including enhanced worker
productivity and morale, improved employee attraction and retention, and reduced
overhead expenses (U.S. EPA, 1992; U.S. EPA, 2005; U.S. Congress, 1994). Telework can be
considered a mobility enhancement, in the sense that workers have the option to perform
activities without incurring the time and cost of travel. To an extent, with handheld
devices and wireless-enabled facilities and vehicles, telework can be conducted on trains
and in vanpools—thereby enhancing the productivity of travel. Teleworking may
contribute to national security by enhancing the ability to operate during emergencies
(telework.gov, 2008).
Feasibility
While telework has not yet reached its full potential, a number of barriers will ultimately
limit the growth of teleworking. For example:
• Not all jobs are suitable for telework—many require face-to-face communication with
clients or co-workers and would therefore be difficult to perform from home or a
telecenter (U.S. EPA, 1992; U.S. EPA, 2005). The surveys cited above suggest that about
35 to 40 percent of jobs not currently offered a telework option may be suitable for
teleworking.
• For a number of reasons, some employers remain reluctant to offer employees the
option of teleworking. Managers, for example, have expressed concerns over whether
they would be able to effectively supervise work that is done remotely. Concern over
information and data security has also made some employers hesitant to allow
employees to telework (GAO, 2001; telework.gov, 2008).
• The additional cost of working from home may be prohibitive for some individuals or
employers.
• Some individuals may not be interested in working from home. The surveys cited
above, as well as other evidence, suggest that between half and three-quarters of all
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