CHOICE MODEL OF EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION IN TELECOMMUTING UNDER A COST-NEUTRAL SCENARIO

A multinomial logit model was constructed of employee participation in telecommuting using stated preference data extracted from a survey of employees of information-oriented firms in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas. Respondents were given work site alternatives in a scenario in which all telecommuting costs were incurred by the employer. Explanatory factors in the employee's decision are identified, including travel, work, and socioeconomic variables. Maximum likelihood estimation results were calculated for a pooled model and for the individual cities. Understanding the characteristics of willful telecommuters lends insight into the likely makeup of the future telecommuting population and, subsequently, the impact on transportation systems.