ASSESSMENT OF FLEXTIME POTENTIAL TO RELIEVE HIGHWAY FACILITY CONGESTION

Travel surveys of flextime workers at three firms in downtown San Francisco are used to assess the potential impact of flextime for relief of congestion on a freeway facility. The changes in work schedules for the survey respondents are extrapolated to reflect the effects of a large, areawide flextime promotional campaign. The freeway-corridor model FREQ was used to investigate two simulation scenarios. The first scenario resulted in few vehicles (less than 4 percent) changing their times of travel but yielded substantial improvements in facility traffic flow. The second scenario resulted in a much larger number of vehicles changing their time of travel, and actually revealed a worsening of traffic-flow conditions on the Bay Bridge. Interpretation of the simulation results vis-a-vis the survey responses of individuals at the three firms indicates that these worsened traffic conditions are unlikely to occur for extended periods of time or on facilities that have different operating characteristics. It is clear that very few vehicles need to change their time of travel to have facility impacts, and that the numbers of vehicles needed are within the reach of modestly successful flextime promotion campaigns. Interpretation of the simulation findings generally supports the promotion of flextime programs by transportation professionals to provide clear travel benefits to program participants, and possible travel benefits to users of a freeway facility who do not have flexitime privileges. (Author)

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1981/816/816-003.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=ASSESSMENT+OF+FLEXTIME+POTENTIAL+TO+RELIEVE+HIGHWAY+FACILITY+CONGESTION&author=P.+Jovanis&publication_year=1981
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Urban System Operations. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Jovanis, Paul P
• Conference:
  • 60th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1981-1-12 to 1981-1-16
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 19-27
• Monograph Title: Transportation system management, parking, enforcement and other issues
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 816
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Flexible hours; Freeways; Impact studies; Reduction (Chemistry); Surveys; Traffic congestion; Traffic flow; Traffic simulation; Travel
• Old TRIS Terms: Freeway usage; Reduction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00345945
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309032571
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 27 1982 12:00AM