THE IMPACT OF THE SHORTER WORK WEEK ON TRANSPORTATION

THIS SPECULATIVE DISCUSSION CONSIDERS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE SHORTER WORKING WEEK ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND ENGINEERING. IT IS THOUGHT IT WILL MODIFY THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THROUGH REDUCTION AND REDISTRIBUTION OF TRIPS. IT WILL ALSO EFFECT THE SAFETY OF TRAVEL. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN LEISURE TRAVEL PARTICULARLY OF THAT WHICH IS CONSIDERED RECREATIONAL. SINCE THIS TYPE OF TRAVEL IMPLIES PRIVATE VEHICLES (AUTOMOBILES, AIRCRAFT OR BOAT), PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THOSE IN URBAN AREAS MAY DEVELOP IN RURAL AND SUBURBAN AREAS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES APPLICABLE TO LOW DENSITY SERVICE (WHICH WILL REDUCE THE PROBLEMS) MAY BE SLOW AND EXPENSIVE. DATA ON THIS SUBJECT IS SPARSE, AND RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE BEING PROPOSED TO OBTAIN DATA ON TRAVEL CHANGES BY INTERVIEWING EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SHORTER WORK WEEK. THE TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR RESEARCHERS COULD WORK TOGETHER IN PREDICTING BEHAVIOR OF LARGE GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS. IT IS HOPED THAT FUNDING OF SUCH RESEARCH WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

• Authors:
  • Wagner, F P
• Publication Date: 1973-5

Media Info

• Features: Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 12-3
• Serial:
  • Traffic Engineering, Inst Traffic Engr
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue Number: 8

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Hours of labor; Human factors; Interviewing; Personnel; Private transportation; Recreation; Research; Rural areas; Safety; Suburbs; Traffic assignment; Transportation engineering; Transportation planning; Work trips
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fund allocations
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226729
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 11 1974 12:00AM